New Zealand recently made history by becoming the first team to whitewash India 3-0 on Indian soil, a result that left the Indian team reeling. Mitchell Santner starred in the second Test in Pune with 13 wickets, while Ajaz Patel was equally impressive in the third Test in Mumbai, claiming 11 wickets. On pitches that favoured spin bowling, the Indian batters found themselves struggling to counter the Kiwi spinners’ brilliance.
Following India’s disastrous performance against the New Zealand spinners, former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu resurfaced with some valuable advice for the struggling batters. Sidhu, known for his expertise in playing spin, put forward a four-point “playbook” on November 6 to help Indian batsmen better tackle spin bowling. His suggestions aimed to address the issues the Indian batters faced during the series, and his tips offered a fresh perspective on how to approach spin effectively.
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Sidhu’s first piece of advice was to “step out often to the spinner to clutter his mind, keep him guessing.” He suggested that by advancing down the pitch, batters could disrupt the bowler’s rhythm and put them off their plans. The second piece of advice extended this idea, urging batters to only step down the track at the “point of no return”—the exact moment the bowler is about to deliver the ball. Sidhu emphasized that this requires instinct and hours of practice, but getting the timing right could be crucial in unsettling the bowler.
The 61-year-old former cricketer also stressed the importance of watching the ball closely, particularly the bowler’s wrist, to predict the spin. “Watch his wrist like a hawk till the end [to] code the delivery,” Navjot Singh Sidhu explained, advising batters to be able to read the spin before the ball is even bowled.
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Finally, Navjot Singh Sidhu recommended that batters make a small forward movement to keep both front foot and back foot shots available. A subtle forward movement, he said, would allow batters to play the ball late and adjust based on the delivery. He warned against committing too early, stating, “Lunge or commit, and you’re at the bowler’s mercy—a dying duck in a thunderstorm.”
Playing spin on turning tracks – 1 stepping out often to the spinner to clutter his mind , keep him guessing…. 2 ensure that you step out when he is at a point of no return (point of delivery) , it comes with instinct and hours of practice 3 watch his wrist like a hawk till the… https://t.co/2Y0vXuSLmt
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) November 6, 2024
With India set to embark on a five-match Test tour of Australia, Navjot Singh Sidhu’s advice could prove useful in the future, especially as India aims to perform well in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.
