WTC: India’s top batters had a horrible 2021-23 cycle

In the fallout of India losing in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against Australia on Sunday, experts and fans have been calling for the head of the captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.

The common thread between these players is that all of them are pure batters. And it’s the batters that let India down in the WTC final at The Oval in London. It’s batters that have let India down on multiple occasions in England.

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The Indian bowlers also didn’t have the best of the games but they still took 18 out of 20 wickets including figures of 8/270 in the second innings. But the batters failed big time.

In reply to Australia’s first innings total of 469, India scored just 296 with only one of the pure batters among Rohit, Shubman Gill, Pujara, Kohli and Rahane making a fifty. In the second innings, chasing 440, India were bowled out for 234 with no batter reaching the 50-run mark.

Naturally, it’s the batters who are facing the brunt. But Gill is a new entrant in the Test arena and has a long way to go. The same can’t be said for others. Rohit is 36, Pujara and Rahane are 35, while Kohli is 34.

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Pujara and Rahane were dropped from the team last year after a horrid tour of South Africa but both veterans slowly made a comeback to the side. Now with the 2021-23 cycle ending, India have an opportunity to blood in young players and implement the transition.

Before such a step is taken, it’s important to take a look at the stats of India’s top batters in the last WTC cycle.

Kohli in WTC 2021-23 cycle: 932 runs in 30 innings (17 matches) at an average of 32.13. He scored one hundred and three fifties and had a highest score of 186.

Rohit in WTC 2021-23 cycle: 758 runs in 19 innings (11 matches) at an average of 42.11. He scored two hundreds and two fifties and had a highest score of 127.

Pujara in WTC 2021-23 cycle: 928 runs in 32 innings (17 matches) at an average of 32. He scored one hundred and six fifties and had a highest score of 102*.

Rahane in WTC 2021-23 cycle: 419 runs in 17 innings (9 matches) at an average of 24.64. He scored three fifties and had a highest score of 89.

Let’s also take a look at the top run-getters in the WTC 2021-23 cycle

Joe Root (England): 1915 runs in 40 innings (22 matches) at an average of 53.19. He scored six fifties and eight tons and had a highest score of 180*.

Usman Khawaja (Australia): 1621 runs in 30 innings (22 matches) at an average of 64.84. He scored seven fifties and six tons and had a highest score of 195*.

Marnus Labuschagne (Australia): 1576 runs in 35 innings (20 matches) at an average of 52.53. He scored five fifties and five tons and had a highest score of 204.

Kohli was India’s top run-getter in the WTC 2021-23 cycle but clearly, the batters of Team India were well behind their counterparts.

Also, looking at the stats, one thing is very clear, Pujara and Rahane are on the brink of losing their Tests spots again, and maybe for good this time around.

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