Former cricketer Anil Kumble reacted to India's disappointing defeat to New Zealand in the second Test of the series in Pune, stating that India's batting has let the hosts down.
Tom Latham's New Zealand side made history by defeating Rohit Sharma's team by 113 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Saturday, securing their first-ever series win in India.
This loss marks India's first home Test series defeat since 2012, ending an 18-series unbeaten streak--the longest home winning sequence for any team.
New Zealand now leads the three-match series 2-0, with the final game set for November 1 at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium.
Speaking to Jio Cinema, Kumble highlighted the significance of each Test match for India's journey to the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
"I think that's the beauty of the WTC. Although the series is over for India, each Test match remains crucial. They've made things harder for themselves. At the start of the series, we talked about needing five wins to comfortably reach the championship final. But now, with four wins required from the next six matches, it's even tougher, especially with one game against this confident New Zealand side at Wankhede and five more in Australia," Kumble said.
He praised India's bowling attack and noted that they still top the WTC points table due to the bowlers' ability to claim 20 wickets in the series. However, he emphasised the need for India's batters to start scoring.
"India have done exceptionally well in their last two series in Australia, but qualifying now is even more challenging. They need to get their act together. The batting has been disappointing, and though the bowling will continue to face challenges, India are at the top because their bowlers have consistently taken those 20 wickets. The batting needs to step up and deliver runs," he added.
We need to blame ourselves: Madan Lal on India's loss to New Zealand
Following India's disappointing defeat to New Zealand, former cricketer Madan Lal offered a candid analysis of the team's performance, highlighting key factors behind the loss, such as the importance of home conditions and the need for a stronger showing from the top order.
Lal began by discussing the advantage of playing on home turf, saying, "At home, we usually win series because the conditions favour us. The pitches suit our style, and we are accustomed to batting and playing here. We are more familiar with the weather and climate. Given all these factors, India generally has the upper hand."
However, he voiced frustration over the choice of pitch preparation, questioning the reasoning behind it. "We have ourselves to blame. There was no point in making such a pitch. I don't know who asked for this wicket - whether it was the team management's decision or someone else's."
He went on to emphasise the strength of India's bowling line-up, stating, "You have a solid team with a strong pace attack and the best spin attack. Yet, we created these pitches and fell into our own trap. On good wickets, we would have certainly won the Test match."
Lal also highlighted the underwhelming batting performance, particularly from the top order. "Another reason is that we didn't bat well enough. Our top order didn't perform. When our batters in the top five or six positions perform, we tend to win the Test match. We always have options in bowling because the conditions suit us."
He acknowledged the public's expectations of the players, noting that scrutiny intensifies when the team underperforms. "I wouldn't say too much, but people are going to comment when you don't perform. There's no doubt about that. The same people who praise you when you score will criticise when you're out of form. Their lack of performance affected the team."
Lal praised individual contributions from younger players, saying, "Youngsters like Jaiswal scored runs, and Ravindra Jadeja also contributed. But you can't win with one or two batters alone. The top order needs to deliver more consistently for us to succeed as a unit."
