India vs Australia, 3rd Test: Indian Middle-Order's Lack of Intent On Placid SCG Track Proves Counter-Productive

INTENT! Apart from the obvious difference in the fast bowling quality of the two countries with India severely hampered by injuries to three of their pace quartet, the other thing which has separated the two teams is the intent shown by their middle order. Australia raced to 103 for 2 in 29 overs in the second innings scoring at a run rate of 3.55 with their number 3 and 4, Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith unbeaten on 47 of 69 deliveries and 29 off 63 deliveries respectively.

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It was this urgency and positive approach to batting with which Australia entered the third Test in Sydney after scoring at less than 2.4 runs per over in three completed innings in Adelaide and Melbourne. It was a conscious effort from the home team whose run rate of 1.94 in the second innings at the MCG was the lowest (or slowest) by an Australian team in a completed innings at home in almost 40 years. They were led by their talisman, Steven Smith, who returned to form scoring a brisk 131 off 226 deliveries including 16 boundaries at a strike rate of 57.96 in the first innings - Smith started the innings with a flurry of boundaries and looked busy running the ones and twos with purpose. He did not allow his nemesis R Ashwin to settle into a line and length and attacked him early in his spell. Neither did he allow the Indian bowling unit to deploy the leg-side theory against him. And it paid off. Australia scored a total of 338 runs in 105.4 overs at a run-rate of 3.2.

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The Australian middle-order (numbers 3-5) scored a total of 235 runs in 438 deliveries - that is a strike rate of 53.65 in the first innings. In contrast, India slowed down considerably after the fall of Shubman Gill's wicket in the 33rd over. At that point, India had scored 85 and were batting at a run rate of 2.66. Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, while trying to ensure that India did not lose any more wickets on the day, went into a shell and scored a total of 11 runs in approximately 13 overs in the last hour of play.

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This overly cautious approach which continued in the morning session on Day 3 cost India dearly. When Rahane fell at the score of 117, 54.4 overs had already been bowled and India were batting at a run rate of 2.14. There are two versions of Ajinkya Rahane. The one we saw at the MCG in the second Test was outstanding and not surprisingly scored 112 off 223 deliveries at a strike rate of above 50 in the match-winning innings. But the Rahane we saw today was slow and happy playing within himself. He was not at his fluent best.

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The Rahane-Pujara partnership had put together just 32 runs in 135 deliveries at a strike rate of 23.7. India got into a rut. The mindset was defensive. Yes, they were facing the best fast bowling attack in the world in Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc but SCG 2021 was no W.A.C.A of the 1990s or Kingsmead of the 2000s - on the contrary it was a placid, batsman-friendly wicket closer to the ones in the sub-continent. India had gone into their shell. Hanuma Vihari continued in the same vein and scored 4 off 38 deliveries. Pujara scored the slowest half century of his career - off 174 deliveries and when he was dismissed India had trudged to 195 in the 89th over.

The visitors were finally bowled out for 244 in 100.4 overs. Just for perspective, Australia played 5 more overs and scored 94 more runs! The Indian middle order (3-5) scored at a strike rate of just 26.76 - which was less than half of their Australian counterparts.

The argument that Pujara only knows one way to bat in which he has been mighty successful for India is a bogus one. Yes, Pujara was the Player of the Series when India toured Down Under in 2018-19. But even when he aggregated 521 runs in the 4 Tests that summer he did score at a strike rate of 41.41. And not at 28.41! There were a couple of things which were different in Sydney 2021 - firstly, as mentioned before it was a good wicket to bat on with the ball not doing much. Secondly, India did not have Virat Kohli in the middle order and with Pujara, a defensive Rahane and Vihari all slotted one after the other, the run rate was always going to be a problem. Knowing this, the onus was on the middle order to adjust to the conditions, show some urgency and bat at a slightly higher strike rate. If a gifted stroke-maker continues to play his shots in conditions where the ball is swinging and seaming and deserves respect and gets out, he is criticised by one and all for not adjusting to the surroundings. And rightly so.

Similarly, when a defensive batsman does not adjust to the need of the hour and situation of the match and the conditions and is unwilling to score at a higher rate citing 'risk', there is a big problem in attitude and approach. With the slow, defensive and cautious approach of the Indian middle-order, not only did India's innings not go anywhere but it also put pressure on Rahane to up the ante and he perished doing so. It also forced Vihari to take a quick single when it clearly did not exist and then make the long walk back to the pavilion after being run-out.

India needed to score at a higher rate today for if they had they would have ended closer to the Australian total and we would still have a contest to look forward to on Day 4 and 5. Instead, courtesy India's sluggish approach and lack of intent they are staring at defeat on an SCG track where they should have taken a series lead.

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