Calcutta: Not too impressed with the Indian team, former Australia opener Matthew Hayden feels the visitors do not seem to believe that they can win away from home and have gone “missing” during key moments of the ongoing Test series.
India trail the four-match series 0-2, losing the second Test with more than a day to spare.
“India’s biggest weakness is they don’t believe they can win away from home. Whether it’s starting the day badly or not finishing an innings like they should — they seem to go missing at key moments,” Hayden wrote in a column for The Daily Telegraph.
“The noise around the team isn’t great either. Putting the food issue aside (which I think is embarrassing for Australia because grounds should be making an extra effort to provide the food the visitors require), you feel like India are searching for an excuse,” he said.
Hayden said the controversy generated by Shikhar Dhawan’s refusal to come out to bat on the fourth day in Brisbane after being hit in the nets, was a reflection of India’s timid approach.
“Dhawan not coming out to bat on day four in Brisbane speaks of his mindset. Fear of failure is more often than not a powerful motivator and the great players like Steve Waugh use that to their advantage,” said Hayden.
“Dhawan’s decision clearly caused confusion in the Indian camp and his troops, including MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, couldn’t rally revealing the fragility of this powerful Indian team.”
Hayden also took a dig at the Indian team’s for attempting to sledge the Australians, a move which backfired badly.
“They’ve got a false sense of what aggression means as well. I think they’ve got the talent in their bowling unit to get us out but they’re inexperienced and can’t bowl consistent Test level spells.”
Hayden, however, lauded the Indian batting.
“Australia definitely have the edge when it comes to bowling but talent-wise the Indian batsmen are on par. Virat Kohli is world class — there’s an edge to his game — and Murali Vijay has gone to a new level.
“He’s patience personified blended with conventional and destructive stroke play and if Australia had him opening the batting with David Warner it would be an incredible partnership. But the rest are vulnerable,” he said.
“Australia will win the Boxing Day Test and I’m tipping it to be over within four days. Ryan Harris will come into the side for Mitchell Starc and make a huge difference. If Harris was fit last game the Test would have been over in three days. He’s that good.”
Hayden had a word of advice for the Indians.
“Ishant Sharma needs to change his strategy and bowl over the wicket to Warner. I can see Warner getting caught at point trying to drive on an MCG wicket that has that real tennis ball bounce.
“I think they’ll drop Rohit Sharma for Suresh Raina and that may be their only change unless Mohammed Shami comes back in for Umesh Yadav.
“The MCG on Boxing Day can be one of the most intimidating arenas in sport — it feels like the crowd is right on top of you.
“The first time I played there against the West Indies in 1996 we were staying at a hotel right next to the ground and my room looked over the pitch.
“I was beside myself with anxiety as I looked out the window thinking this is the biggest mistake of my life trying to be a pretender Australian cricketer.
“Curtly Ambrose got me both innings for 5 and 0. He never used to appeal, he’d just clap when he took a wicket and that’s the sound I remember because the Boxing Day crowd was dead silent.
“On the long walk back to the change-rooms I got halfway up the member’s stand and one lady yelled out, ‘Hayden, you’re rubbish. Go back to Queensland so we can get Matthew Elliott in’.
“Ironically the ground turned from foe to friend. I rate the MCG my favourite ground.”
