December 26 is traditionally considered as the day when the underclass used to receive “boxes” containing gifts, alms etc from those better endowed financially than them, which led it to be called as the “Boxing Day”. The significance of this day in cricket is that a Test match starting on this day, popularly known as “Boxing Day Test” is an integral part of the Australian cricket calendar. It was during the Ashes series of 1974-75 that a Test match was held on Boxing Day for the first time ever in Australia. However, after Channel Nine took over the telecast of cricket matches in that country in 1980, this practice was institutionalised by the Australian Cricket Board, with the match always being held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). That this tradition has continued despite the increased popularity of One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 cricket, with no December 26 passing without a Test match starting at the MCG on this date since 1990, demonstrates the strong roots that this practice has developed over the years.
After South Africa, another country with considerable landmass in the southern hemisphere, were admitted back into the fold of international cricket, Boxing Day Test ceased being the prerogative of the Australians. India was the first side to tour South Africa after their readmission and the tour in 1992-93 saw a Test match starting on Boxing Day. The hosts won this Test, which was played at St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth, (present day Gqeberha), by a margin of nine wickets. Since then India have been part of a Boxing Day Test in this country on six occasions, including the one at SuperSport Park in the week that went by, which ended in a defeat by an innings and 32 runs for the visitors.
The victory at Centurion ensures that South Africa cannot lose the series. Hence, the 'Final Frontier' will remain unconquered for India for some more time. But more disappointing thing for the fans of the game in our country is the manner in which the side capitulated, with the game not going even into the fourth day. Apart from a century by K L Rahul in the first innings, a stroke-filled 76 by Virat Kohli in the second knock and a good spell of fast bowling by Jasprit Bumrah, there were no other positive takeaways for the visitors from this game. On the other hand, the hosts were helped by a brilliant innings of 185 by Dean Elgar and an aggressive fast bowling attack that, despite its relative inexperience, did well to push Indians to the wall. The two debutants for South Africa, pace bowler Nandre Burger and middle-order batsman David Bedingham, performed well, which augers well for the future as well.
It will be interesting to analyse what went wrong for India in this Test, where they took the field with such high hopes. One’s mind goes back to a Boxing Day Test that took place in Australia three years ago where India played brilliantly to outclass the hosts. That this win had come only a few days after they were shot out for a paltry total of 36 runs in the preceding Test that and they were without the services of their captain and best batsman, Kohli, made this achievement look monumental. How did the national side manage to put behind the memories of a humiliating loss and come back strongly in double quick time as to shock the mighty home side? Are there any lessons from that episode for the present side?
Test matches are won by teams that occupy the crease and score runs. Steve Waugh pioneered the concept of scoring runs at the rate of four an over so that his bowlers had enough time to dismiss the opposition twice. England team under Brendon McCullum has adopted a more aggressive version of this under “Bazball”. However, it must not be forgotten that both Australia and England had batsmen who could stay at the wicket for long hours, even as they capitalised on every opportunity to score runs. Indian batsmen stayed at the crease for a total of 101 overs and four balls, 67.3 in the first innings and 34.1 in the second, in the Centurion Test. This is grossly inadequate for a side that seeks to win matches. A look at the scorecard at Melbourne in 2020 will show that Indian batsmen batted for 115.1 overs in first innings while the Aussies could last for only 72.3, which ultimately turned out to be the difference between the two sides. Hence, batsmen should focus on spending time in the middle, take the game session by session and build partnerships. Once these are made the priority. runs will automatically follow.
A big responsibility rests on the shoulders of Kohli, Shubhman Gill and Rahul for getting the side out of the current plight. In addition to being one of the best batsmen in the world, Kohli is also the senior most among the present lot. Further, he possesses all the required skillsets to play a long innings that can change the fortunes of his side, an ability he has demonstrated many times in the past. Hence a big score from his blade will not just place India in a comfortable position but will also serve to boost the morale of the entire unit. Gill is one of the players who cut his teeth during the tour of Australia in 2020-21 and he has the technique and temperament to tackle the South African fast bowlers successfully. Moreover, he looked at ease during the time spent at the crease in both innings. Rahul is the man in form and needs to pull his weight by way of contributions to the team’s total more consistently. The side depends a lot on these three batsmen to show the way forward.
One interesting fact that emerges when one looks at the Indian side that played at Melbourne in 2020 is that four members of the bowling attackthat ran through the Aussie batting then - Bumrah, Muhammad Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja - are in the squad touring South Africa. Bumrah, Siraj and Ashwin bowled a total of 69.4 overs at Centurion and picked up seven wickets conceding 201 runs, while Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna went for 194 runs in the 39 overs they bowled. These figures show that one of the reasons for the game slipping out of India’s hands was the poor support that main bowlers received from the the duo of Thakur and Krishna. This also proves conclusively that there should be no hesitation in playing the best set of bowlers, rather than trying out players short on experience, looking solely at the surface. The foursome of Bumrah, Siraj, Ashwin and Jadeja have the experience of bowling on almost all types of pitches across continents and will be able to bend their skills based on the need of the hour. Team management should decide regarding the last slot, based solely on the ability with the ball. Both Jadeja and Ashwin can contribute with the bat as well, which, besides lending extra depth to our batting, obviates the need to select a fast bowler based on his prowess with the willow.
Rohit Sharma must ask serious questions to himself about his eligibility for a place in the playing eleven when the side plays red-ball cricket on foreign soil. During his 10 year long career, Rohit has taken part in 53 Tests, with an aggregate of 3,682 runs at average of 45.45, which includes 10 centuries and a highest score of 212. But when one looks at the runs scored by him outside India, it is seen that the total drops to 1,680 runs from 29 matches at an average of 31.11. When the output from his bat on pitches in Australia and South Africa are analysed, one finds a measly figure of 536 runs from 24 innings in 12 tests, with an unbeaten 63 as his highest score. Rohit’s talent has never been in doubt and he has scored heavily in limited overs matches all around the globe. But there is a huge disconnect between his potential and performance when confronted with top quality fast bowling in Tests played on hard, bouncy pitches abroad. The second Test at Cape Town, which boasts of a surface that traditionally favours seam bowling, probably offers the last chance to redeem himself and cast away the tag of being a “flat track bully”.
Finally, it must be remembered that getting back to business after a debacle is a process that is played as much in the mind as outside it. Erasing memories of a setback is never easy, especially in the arena of sports, where one is under constant scrutiny and the expectations are always sky high. Rohit enjoyed a dream run as captain during recently concluded ODI World Cup, when the side sailed into the final. But it remains to be seen whether he has the skills to be called as a leader who can script a turnaround in the fortunes of his side, a feat Ajinkya Rahane performed with aplomb during the series against Australia in 2020-21.
It is far more important to the team that their skipper and senior batsman leads from the front and shows the way forward when the chips are down. The real test for Rohit's skills as a batsman and skipper will come during the five days from Wednesday, when the second Test kicks off.
(The author is a former international cricket umpire and a senior bureaucrat)
