File image of Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma.© AFP
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has made a staunch criticism about the footwork on display by Indian and English batters in Test cricket. India’s batting has come under severe scrutiny in recent weeks, and they failed to chase down a paltry 146 against New Zealand. On the other hand, England’s batting fell apart in spin-friendly conditions in Pakistan in the final two Tests. Chappell put a big question mark on the footwork of batting stalwarts like Virat Kohli, while also mentioning his dislike for the reverse sweep shot.
“Virat Kohli’s first-innings dismissal was the perfect example of India’s lack of decisive footwork. Kohli was clean bowled by a delivery from Santner that if the batter had taken even a small pace out of his crease he could have hit on the full. However, instead of Kohli’s lack of decisive footwork being the culprit, his shot selection was questioned,” wrote Chappell in his column for ESPNcricinfo.
Chappell also called out the choice to use reverse sweeps in Test cricket, and stated his shock at the fact that Team India had specifically practised playing the reverse sweep ahead of the third Test in Mumbai.
“Regarding the supposedly all-important sweep shot, who is the insensitive coach who preached that the reverse sweep is safer to play in Test cricket rather than employing decisive footwork? The danger of the reverse sweep in Tests was adequately revealed with the senseless dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Mumbai Test,” Chappell wrote further.
Chappell even went as far as to label the reverse sweep as an “illegal” shot.
“And while we’re on the reverse sweep – the shot where the batter changes the order of his hands or feet should be deemed illegal. Fairness should be a consideration in framing the laws and playing conditions,” Chappell wrote.
The reverse sweep came back to bite India on Day 3 of the third Test as well. Ravichandran Ashwin got out playing it, becoming the eighth wicket to fall.
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