“When Virat Kohli took over as captain…” - Brad Haddin opens up on India’s 30-run defeat to South Africa in 1st Test

Former Australia wicketkeeper and analyst Brad Haddin has opened up on Team India’s 30-run defeat to South Africa in the first Test of the two-match series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata to start the series on a worrying note.

Speaking exclusively on the Willow Talk Podcast, Haddin said that Team India play their best cricket whenever they put up big scores on the board, adding that their spinners are better than anyone else on spin tracks, but the Indian batters aren’t that good players of spin on such surfaces.

Interestingly, it was India’s fourth consecutive Test defeat to SENA nations at home. Earlier, India suffered a 0-3 series loss to New Zealand at home last year, which was their first series loss at home in 12 years.

"I just think they are leaving too much to chance. India play their best cricket when they put a big total on the board, and then they make the opposition claustrophobic with their fields. Their spinners are better than anyone else on those surfaces, but their batters are not that good players of spin on surfaces like that,” Haddin said.

Furthermore, Haddin also pointed out that the Indian team used to put up big scores when Virat Kohli was the captain of the side, bringing in their world-class batters into the game. However, he added that things have drastically changed at the moment for India on home tracks.

"When Virat Kohli took over as captain back then, they batted long and put big scoreboard pressure and left opponents claustrophobic with their fields. They are leaving too much to chance. It brings ordinary spinners into the game. They have taken their world-class batters out of the game. Your skill and the craft of using your drift, using the different angles of the crease go out of it," he added.

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