'Going to Suffer Same Fate...': Ian Chappell Slams Australia After Embarrassing Loss in 1st IND vs AUS Test

Ex-Australia captain Ian Chappell criticised the planning of the Pat Cummins-led Australian team in the first Test vs India while praising the home team for their continous progression as a champion Test outfit

Source: Twitter

After Australia lost the first Test against India in a embarrassing way, critics back home have been writing and speaking about the Pat Cummins' team's poor performance in Nagpur. The visitors lost the Test by an innings and 132 runs, which is among the heavy defeats they have ever registered in the longest format of the sport. Not to forget, India bowled them out for just 91 in the second innings. It is Australia's lowest-ever score in India. The major cause of worry are Australian batters who batted poorly against the spinners. The camp was always worried about the quality of spinners in the Indian team as well as the nature of the track.

The Australian team fell to their self-made 'pitch' trap in Nagpur where they felt the curator had prepared a track keeping in mind the strength of Indians and the left-hand heavy batting lineup of Aussies. The Australian media too amplified the same fear and as a result, the Aussies went too much defensive in the first Test. Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel (both left-handed batters) struck fifties while Rohit Sharma scored a Test ton to prove that if one showed patience and skills, runs could be scored in Nagpur. 

Domination _

Outstanding effort from India to go 1-0 up against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy _#WTC23 | #INDvAUS | _: https://t.co/69XuLpfYpL pic.twitter.com/d6VR2t7Zyp— ICC (@ICC) February 11, 2023

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell said the same in his ESPNcricinfo column. He warned Cummins and his team that if they want to make a strong comeback, they need to immediately shift focus from pitches they are playing on to the quality of cricket they can play.  

"The first Test has exposed Australia's weakness against good spin bowling on turning pitches," said Chappell. "If they can ensure this setback doesn't mean their mental capacity to cope in India is not dented, it will keep them in the series. If they waver, they are in big trouble." 

"The noise was exactly that in the case of the pitch. Not unexpectedly, it turned out to be nothing more than a fairly typical first-day Indian red-soil wicket," Chappell wrote.

"The media making allegations about pitch-doctoring is nothing new. Players need to ignore this little game or else it has a debilitating effect on the visiting team. "Far too much emphasis is put on how pitches are going to play and on doctoring. It's worth remembering that both teams have to play on the same pitch," he added.

Chappell further wrote that India have developed into a top Test side who have learnt the art of winning everywhere, at home and abroad. The Aussie great also questioned the decision to leave Travis Head out of the playing 11 despite his good form and recent record.