India’s coach Gambhir blames flat wickets, T20s for poor Test batting

‘The more T20 cricket is played, the less people will start defending,’ Gambhir says after his team’s poor batting in the home series loss against New Zealand.

Batsmen have forgotten how to defend in Test cricket because of the T20 game, says India coach Gautam Gambhir as his team look to avoid a 3-0 home series whitewash against New Zealand in Mumbai.

The Black Caps sealed their first-ever Test series victory on Indian soil last week in Pune and are now chasing a clean sweep in the final match starting Friday at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

India’s famed batting, led by skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, has flopped in the series including the hosts’ 46 all out in the first innings of the opening Test.

Gambhir attributed the poor showing to an attacking 20-over mindset, at the expense of the conservative posture needed for long spells at the crease.

“Foundation of your batting in Test cricket has to be defence,” Gambhir said on Thursday.

“Probably a lot to do with playing on flat wickets in T20 cricket,” he added.

“We will have the same issues with a lot of other teams as well because the more T20 cricket is played, the less people will start defending.”

The last time India were blanked in a home series was in 2000, when they lost 2-0 to South Africa, and Gambhir said his batters had to adapt before next month’s tour of Australia, where they will play five Tests.

“We should be able to adapt. We should be a side that can get 400 on a day if we need to get a result and able to bat for two days as well. That’s what growth is and that’s what Test cricket is all about,” Gambhir told reporters on Thursday.

“Test cricket can’t be played in a single manner because it’s about adaptability, looking at the situation and playing