'This is not the way to save Test cricket': Harbhajan Singh slams Team India's current approach in red-ball format

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh delivered a blunt assessment of the team’s spin resources and the pitches used in the recent home Test series, insisting that India currently lack a specialist right-arm off-spinner suited for the format.

Speaking to PTI on Friday, Harbhajan said the 2-0 defeat to South Africa exposed deeper structural issues in India’s bowling plans and pitch preparation.


“Looks like (India does not have a specialist right-arm off-spinner for Test cricket),” Harbhajan told PTI, pointing out that the Proteas dominated India’s spinners. He said Washington Sundar remains the closest option in the current setup but needs far more workload to evolve.

“I think Washington Sundar is there, but we will have to bowl him more. He will have to be bowled for 30-35 overs in a Test match to make a bowler out of him,” he said.

Harbhajan argued that India’s long-standing habit of preparing dry, turning tracks is stunting the growth of both batters and spinners. “The kind of pitches we have been playing on, there is no requirement of making a bowler out of anyone because every delivery spins or some straightens,” he said. “A bowler can (only) be considered good when he takes wickets on good pitches.”

Calling for an immediate shift in approach, he said India’s red-ball cricket has been “stuck at one place” for more than a decade. “We should play on good cricket pitches — it is high time,” Harbhajan said, adding that quality surfaces are essential if India want their batters to develop the ability to score big at home, the way they did during the England tour where Shubman Gill amassed 754 runs.

Harbhajan criticised the recent turners, particularly the Eden Gardens surface that saw the first Test against South Africa end inside three days, prompting him to post “#RIPTESTCRICKET” on social media. “We keep on talking about saving and promoting Test cricket, but this is not the way to save Test cricket,” he said. “If you want to save Test cricket then we need to start playing on good tracks, which allow your bowlers and batters and everyone to be in the game.”

The former spinner said India must look in the mirror and move away from surfaces that reduce Test cricket to a lottery, rather than a contest of skill.


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