Don’t Think Anything Was Wrong With Playing XI, Batsmen Let Us Down - MSK Prasad On India's WTC Final Loss

Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad laments the low totals by the Indian batsmen in the ICC World Test Championship loss to New Zealand at The Ageas Bowl last week. While pointing out that it was the Indian batting which was disappointing – they put up 217 and 170 – he defends the management who are receiving criticism for the playing eleven.

MSK Prasad believes that India had their “best combination” possible on the field – Virat Kohli’s team went with two spinners, both all-rounders though, while the Kiwis opted for a 4-man pace attack. He reckons if the batters had managed to score over or near 300, India may not have lost the game.

“We have gone with our best combination, that’s not the issue. It’s our batting which has let us down, why are people bothered about bowling? After falling 60 runs short [in the first innings], you can’t expect to win.

“If they had gotten 300 runs, the match would either have been in our favour or it would have been a draw. So I don’t think there was anything wrong with the playing XI,” MSK Prasad told SportsKeeda.

There was some spin on offer: MSK Prasad

MSK Prasad further defends India’s ploy of two spinners compared to New Zealand’s none. He points out that towards the final part of the game – on Day 6, the Reserve Day – there was spin available for both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja; Ashwin did get a couple of wickets in New Zealand’s second innings, but it was all too late by then.

“The reason was that, if in case it would have been a full game, there would have been a lot of footmarks, they [NZ] had many left-handers in their side, which he could have fancied his chances against. If you really look at it, there was some spin on offer which helped even Ashwin,” the former selector stated.

India next challenges England in a 5-Test series starting August 4 in Trent Bridge. It would be interesting to see if they go with the same bowling combination or make any changes to it.

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