India’s 284-run defeat to Australia in the fourth Test in Melbourne has sparked criticism from former players and experts, especially regarding the batting unit’s inability to learn from past mistakes. The failure was epitomized by Rishabh Pant’s reckless shot selection, which shifted the momentum in Australia’s favor when India was hoping to hold on for a draw with only one session left.
The Indian lineup saw changes with Rohit Sharma returning to open, KL Rahul moving to No. 3, and Shubman Gill being dropped. However, the result was the same as India’s specialist batsmen, except for Yashasvi Jaiswal’s twin half-centuries, continued to falter. Basit Ali, former Pakistan batter, criticized the team’s approach and questioned the role of chief coach Gautam Gambhir and his staff in failing to address these issues. Ali suggested that Gambhir should have made more innovative decisions, like sending Nitish Reddy to No. 6 to try something different.
Ali also criticized the batting coach, claiming they failed to advise players on how to survive against specific bowlers. He proposed that India should appoint separate coaches for white-ball and red-ball formats to avoid further decline in their performance.
The batting collapse was triggered by Pant’s irresponsible shot off part-time spinner Travis Head, which handed Australia the breakthrough they needed. With the partnership between Jaiswal and Pant at 88, Cummins set the trap, and Pant fell for it. Ali described the shot as foolish and a major turning point in the match, costing the team dearly.
Australia’s win gave them a 2-1 lead heading into the final Test in Sydney, starting on January 3.
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