Even as their dismal run away from home continues, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni says the Indian cricket team’s approach to batting in overseas tours has “improved” in the last one year. A listless India capitulated to a four-wicket defeat in the second cricket Test against Australia here after an inept batting display by the top-order to give the hosts an invincible 2-0 lead in the four-match series on Saturday.
“In both these first two Tests, only a bad period of about 20 minutes has badly affected our results. Despite the collapses, it can be seen in the overseas tours from last year that the batting approach has improved. We just have to take it forward. Then it becomes a matter of seeing what is important for the team in different situation,“ said Dhoni.
The Indian captain, who had missed the series opener in Adelaide owing to injury, spoke about the importance of gaining experience as a player. “There is no substitute to experience. We cannot get experienced players from anywhere. These same players have to play more matches and get that experience. The more we play overseas more will be experience. We cannot get experienced players from anywhere else,“ he said.
India has now lost six Tests in a row Down Under starting from the series opener in the 2011-12 series. In between they also suffered defeats in South Africa, New Zealand and England. In their second innings at the Gabba, India collapsed from 71/1 to 87/5, with Virat Kohli the only batsman to be hit in the nets dismissed in this duration. The rest, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Dhoni himself, do not have a similar defence.
“This collapse in Brisbane was quite different and will be addressed in a different way,“ opined Dhoni. “Yes we have had batting collapses in the past, in the recent Test series we have played overseas. Generally how you address a situation is you try to tell the batsmen to bat as normally as possible. To not really look at the scoreboard as to what really has happened.
“You play according to the merit of the delivery. If it is there to be hit, you hit. You look to score and be positive. That’s how it is supposed to be.“ The third Test is scheduled to be held in Melbourne from December 26-30, with the fourth one to be organised in Sydney.
Ishant fined 15 per cent match fee for poor conduct
Indian speedster Ishant Sharma has been fined 15 percent of his match fees for breaching ICC’s 'Code of Conduct' during the second cricket Test between India and Australia while Steve Smith was fined 60 percent for his team’s slow over-rate.
Sharma was fined for using inappropriate language after dismissing Smith during Australia’s first innings on the third day at the Gabba. According to a media release sent by ICC, “Sharma has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for violating level 1 Article 2.1.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International match.“
“The incident happened in the first innings when Sharma was seen on television screens using inappropriate words after dismissing Australia captain Steven Smith. Sharma admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by the match referee. As such, there was no need for a formal hearing,“ it stated. ICC Match Referee Jeff Crowe imposed the fine on Australia after Smith’s side was ruled to be three overs short of its target when time allowances were taken into consideration. In accordance with Article 2.5.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.
As such, Smith has been fined 60 per cent of his match fee, while his players have received 30 per cent fines. If found guilty of one more minor over-rate offence as captain in Tests over the next 1 year, he will receive a one-match suspension as per the provisions of the Code.