Faltering India brace for spin trial in must-win third Test

Mumbai: Pushed to a corner like never before, India face their biggest challenge at home when they clash with New Zealand in the must-win third Test as they are left to salvage pride and fight a perception about their diminishing ability to negotiate quality spin attack.

India could be treading a thin line between bravado and desperation while going for the jugular on a rank turner in the final game of the series, starting Friday.

After losing their first home series in 12 years, India need to win the Wankhede Test to remain in contention for a slot in the World Test Championship final at Lord's in June.

With six Tests remaining in the 2023-25 cycle, two-time runner-up India will need to win at least four more to have another crack at the WTC trophy.

A turner in Pune exposed the soft underbelly of Indian batters' technique against slow bowling but as per the current team's philosophy, it has decided to take the bull by its horn by asking for a turner where the ball might turn at right angles from first hour. Another three-day finish is on the cards.

Calling 20 odd slow bowlers for net practice, cancelling optional sessions and drawing white lines to understand the lines and gauge the length are signs of panic being set among rank and file after being 0-2 down.

Regardless of their remarkable fightback in the second innings of the opening Test, the abysmal show from India’s famed batters against quality seam in Bengaluru and an abject surrender against spin have set in motion the beginning of the end for some of India’s superstars.

The totals of 46, 156 and 245 do paint a sorry picture before Rohit's team embarks on a more challenging conditions in Australia.

"I am not going to sugarcoat that it is hurting. It should hurt and that hurt will make us better. What is wrong in being in this position?," head coach Gautam Gambhir said on eve of the third Test.

"I am sure this will push the youngsters to be better cricketers. If we have results like Kanpur, might as well have results like this and keep moving forward," Gambhir added.

While it remains to be seen how far the four seniors in captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja go in responding to this crisis, they would be served well if the workload is equally shared by young guns Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill.

New Zealand’s meticulous preparations and near-perfect execution of plans have posed some tough questions to India’s batters and bowlers alike and the hosts are yet to respond.

The visitors exposed India's batters with both pace and spin in Bengaluru and Pune but most surprisingly, the spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja has been out-bowled arguably for the first time in a home Test series ever since they began operating together from late 2012.

India captain Rohit stood by his spinners after the 113-run hammering in Pune, which was orchestrated by Mitchell Santner's exploits.

But his own approach and form will be closely observed given Rohit’s philosophy of playing Test cricket aggressively has had the skipper taking unwarranted risks at times, like when he danced down the wicket as early as in the seventh over to take on Tim Southee on the first day of the series, only to be cleaned up.

Rohit has been bowled thrice over the last two Tests while his bat-pad dismissal in the last innings against Santner made the matters even worse for the batting unit in all.

While Kohli missing a full toss could have been a brain fade moment but India’s batting superstar can't deny that the pressure is steadily mounting on him to produce big returns as a big transition period looms large on the Test side.

Amid all the odds stacked up against them, India's batters will also face a stern challenge on what has been in making, a spin-friendly pitch here at the Wankhede Stadium.

Ashwin and Jadeja after many years haven't looked menacing even on home soil. It won't be surprising if Axar Patel plays for India as his bowling is tailor-made for turners where batters struggle to decide whether to come forward or rock back.

While the venue’s location — next to the Arabian Sea — ensures there is breeze in the morning and early assistance to the fast bowlers, the pitch is expected to play in favour of the spinners sooner than later with its red soil providing plenty of bounce.

The ploy might work for India like it did against Australia in 2004 when Murali Kartik wreaked havoc. It was Gambhir's Test debut 20 years back and he wouldn't mind an encore.

Teams (from): India: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Washington Sundar.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell (wk), Ajaz Patel, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, William O'Rourke, Jacob Duffy.

Match starts at 9:30 am IST.