Indian cricket's home truths: When attack becomes the best form of defence

The series loss to New Zealand has laid bare a fundamental question: Is T20 batting ethos proliferating into Test cricket?

Virat Kohli, the modern-day batting virtuoso, has a star-studded resume — one that also includes being part of two of India’s three lowest-ever scores in Test cricket.

 

As the forlorn captain, he was in the thick of action when his team suffered its lowest-ever score — 36 all out —against Australia in Adelaide four years ago. Indian batters sank to the depths of misery yet again in the just concluded Test series against New Zealand.

 

Under the cloudy forenoon skies in Bengaluru last month, New Zealand’s pace trio comprising Tim Southee, Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke ran through India’s batting