BANGALORE: Leave alone losing Test matches, just have a close look at the margin of defeats that India have suffered in the last seven Tests matches - four against England in 2011 and three against Australia in 2012.
The smallest margin of defeat was a whopping 122- run loss that Australia inflicted on them at Melbourne as the series got underway.
The Aussies, under new captain Micheal Clarke won the other two Tests, Sydney and now Perth, by an innings and more. The smallest margin of defeat against England was the 196-run loss at Lord’s as they began their tour on a low note. England won by 319 runs at Nottingham and by an innings and more at Birmingham and the Indians were roundly thrashed at The Oval by the same margin. Australia have amassed 1601 runs in three Tests so far in just four innings.
In effect, just a little over three innings as Australia declared in Sydney after making 659 for 4. In all this, Australia have lost just 34 wickets in three Tests making for an average 47.08 runs per wicket. The Australians have declared their innings twice.
India have managed 1374 in six completed innings having lost all three Tests and each a five-day affair has ended on the third day itself.
India have lost 60 wickets in the three Tests and that makes for an average of a mere 22.09 runs per wicket.
From July to August 2011, the performance against England was even more shocking.
England scored a whopping 2809 runs in four Tests and six innings having declared twice losing 45 wickets at 62.42 average. On the contrary,India totalled 2044 runs in eight completed innings losing 80 wickets at an average of a mere 25.55.
The figures that the Indians have racked up speak ‘volumes’ about their nonperformance and bears testimony to their disastrous performances in the seven Tests so far.
Losing is entirely acceptable whether or not the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run-getter in the game, Rahul Dravid, second behind Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir play. But, the manner of their defeats is galling.
The problem probably lies with the fitness levels of most of the Indian cricketers. They are nowhere near the needs of serious International cricket. This despite most of them also playing the shorter formats regularly. One look at many of them is enough to indicate their fitness.
Even David Warner is quite stocky. But he moves very swiftly and is extremely fit. Most often, the Indian cricket team’s physical conditioning camp is limited to mere publicity shows. Players perform exercises more for the benefit of the camera rather than their own. That has made the difference in performances and, consequently, the results are showing.
Whatever the blood, fresh or old, it has to be fit.
One stop, one catch or a single sprint does not reveal fitness. The ability to do all that and more match after match is important. That’s the need of the hour.