Harbhajan Singh blasts Shastri, Kohli, Dravid, Rohit; reveals why Indian batters fail against spin

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has unleashed a scathing attack on the Indian cricket team management, accusing them of sabotaging player confidence with overly spin-friendly pitches in Test cricket.

Harbhajan Singh, one of India’s greatest spinners, said that the aggressive push to win Test matches within three days has been harming the batters’ confidence and long-term development.

Actually, Indian batters badly flopped against the spinners in the recent ODI series in Sri Lanka, raising their effectiveness against spin. In recent years, India's strategy for home Tests has focused on exploiting spin-friendly pitches to secure victories, contributing to their impressive run of 17 consecutive series wins.

Harbhajan Singh blasts Indian cricket team management for spin-heavy pitches

However, this approach has been affecting the form of their own batters. Notably, players like Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, who previously thrived in home conditions, have experienced significant declines in their performance.

Since 2020, only Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Ravindra Jadeja have maintained averages above 40 among Test regulars in home matches. On the other hand, Kohli's average has dropped from 75 before 2019 to 34, while Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have struggled with averages of 24 and 18, respectively, and lost their place in the Test side.

According to Harbhajan, the Indian cricket team's obsession with preparing spin-friendly pitches that spin excessively from day one has backfired. By compelling batters to tackle spin from Day 1, rather than allowing conditions to evolve more naturally, the Indian team has created a scenario where players are consistently struggling against spin.

It led to a decline in the Indian batters' self-belief and technique. Furthermore, Harbhajan believes that if India had produced more balanced pitches, batters would have had the opportunity to adjust and build their innings, leading to better overall performance and confidence.

The legendary spinner has further emphasized that a shift towards standard pitches could allow India's formidable pace and spin attack to shine over a longer period, winning matches on the fifth day rather than rushing results.

We dented the confidence of our batters: Harbhajan Singh

As India gears up for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on September 19 in Chennai, Harbhajan Singh said that they still have time to rectify the problem, as beating India in Tests won’t be easy at all.

Harbhajan Singh was quoted as saying by Sports Tak: “We've started playing on pitches that turn a lot more. We wanted to win, and we did win, but we wanted to win in two and a half days.

"I think if we had produced normal pitches that started to turn from Day 3 and Day 4, we still would have won, but the batters would have gotten time to settle in. And we wouldn't be discussing the problems of our batters against spinners. We dented the confidence of our batters because anybody gets out (cheaply) on those pitches.”

He added, “We still have a chance (to rectify this). If we play on good pitches, I don't think anyone can beat India. The pacers that India have, the spin attack that there is, would definitely win you Tests on Day 5 if not on Day 3.

"But if you play on good pitches, the batters will score runs, and their confidence will only go up when they score runs. So, I don't think our batters have forgotten to play spin, but the conditions have been such (in the last few years) that it has become almost impossible.”