NEW DELHI: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri on Friday blamed 'complacency and overconfidence' of Indian batters for the loss in the third Test of the four-match series against Australia in Indore.
After winning the first two Tests inside three days to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, hosts India tasted their own medicine at the Holkar Stadium. India suffered a nine-wicket loss to the visitors in little over two days on a rank turner.
According to Shastri, the Indian batters paid the price for "complacency and overconfidence" and were over-eager to dominate the Australian bowlers, on a wicket which offered sharp turn and uneven bounce from the first morning.
"This is what a little complacency, a little bit of overconfidence can do where you take things for granted, you drop guard and this game will bring you down," the former India all-rounder told Star Sports.
"I think it was a combination of all these things when you actually cast your mind back to the first innings, see some of the shots played, see some of the over-eagerness to try and dominate in these conditions. You reflect back, take a step back or two to analyse."
Opting to bat, India had lost seven wickets in the first session on day one, with left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann claiming a maiden five-wicket haul, to be bundled out for a paltry 109.
1/10:3rd Test: How Nathan Lyon tore the heart out of Indian batting line-up
AFP
2/10:Lyon's 2nd-best Test figures
<p>Not for the first time, Nathan Lyon tore the heart out of the Indian batting line-up earning his second-best Test figures in the process. </p>AP
3/10:Lyon took 8/64
<p>Lyon took 8/64 in India's second innings to turn the match on its head on Day 2.</p>AFP
4/10:The tumultuous Test
<p>The tumultuous Test match fell on Lyon's well-weathered fingers to bail Australia out. </p>AFP
5/10:The perfect length
<p>Lyon found that perfect length for the pitch, bowled attacking lines and bagged the wicket if one slightly turned or went with the arm. </p>AFP
6/10:The perfect example
<p>The perfect example on Day Two of the Indore Test was the dismissal of India's wicketkeeper KS Bharat. </p>Getty Images
7/10:Defence breached
<p>The ball ripped one straight through the batter's defences by getting him to play the wrong line while thinking about possible turn. </p>PTI
8/10:Relentless spell
<p>Lyon bowled around the stumps, again relentlessly, for a majority of his spell, and let helpful pitches like the one at the Holkar Stadium do the rest.</p>AFP
9/10:Aussie spin great
<p>Lyon's bowling is a perfect reflection of the fact that he doesn't quite fit the 'flashy genius' mould of some past Aussie spinning greats. </p>AFP
10/10:Lyon and Smith
<p>Lyon found in Smith an old and able ally as a pro-active captain who kept things interesting with restrictive fields and men in catching positions to slowly strangle India. </p>PTIAustralia posted 197 to take an 88-run lead and then returned to dismiss India for 163 in the second innings. The visitors achieved the target of 76 in 18.5 overs.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden too slammed the Indian batters, saying it looked like they were playing to save their spots in the team.
"Change of team too. KL Rahul dropped. Some of those things can be a bit destabilising, players playing for their spots and their opportunities can create a different mindset," he said.
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar also criticised the Indian batters for their below-par show in the third Test, saying the "pitch played on their minds".
Hayden, however, was full of praise for Australia opener Travis Head, who scored an unbeaten 49 to take visitors home.
"It's incredible what happens when you show that attitude and intent. That adjustment in the mindset and within two overs (there are) 20 runs (and) bang. This was really, really good batting," the 51-year-old said.
"This can be said about Travis Head. He was left out of the first Test but came out with a fire in the belly from the second Test, something Australians are known for. Punching above our weight, despite the conditions.
"What a good player Travis Head is. He is becoming one of the real forces in world cricket. A remarkable turnaround in momentum. Great fight and they have shown what they can do. Australia was knocked out in Delhi...like Lazarus, now they've emerged."
1/10:Australia crush India in 3rd Test, qualify for WTC final
<p>Read more on TOI Sports</p>Getty Images
2/10:BIG WIN
<p>Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne held their nerve on a viciously turning Indore pitch to guide Australia to a nine-wicket victory. <br /></p>PTI
3/10:LONG WAIT
<p>Indore Test win is only Australia's second Test victory in India since 2004.<br /></p>AP
4/10:IT'S 2-1 NOW
<p>After Australia were thrashed in the first two Tests inside three days, the series now stands at 2-1 to the hosts with one match remaining.<br /></p>AP
5/10:LABUSCHAGNE-HEAD SHOW
<p>Labuschagne finished on 28 not out and Head on 49, having lost opener Usman Khawaja to only the second ball of the day.<br /></p>Getty Images
6/10:MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
<p>The dogged victory secured Australia a berth in the ICC World Test Championship final in June at The Oval. <br /></p>Getty Images
7/10:BIG TASK AHEAD
<p>India will be sure of their place in the final if they win the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.<br /></p>PTI
8/10:HIGH FIVES FOR KUHNEMANN
<p>In a low-scoring and frenetic encounter, Australia skittled India for 109 on day one with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann claiming five wickets.<br /></p>Getty Images
9/10:WHAT A COMEBACK
<p>In reply Australia made a solid start before collapsing to 197 all out before lunch on day two, their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.<br /></p>Getty Images
10/10:LYON-KING
<p>Eight wickets for spinner Nathan Lyon saw India bundled out for 163 in their second innings, setting up a victory target of 76.<br /></p>Getty ImagesFormer Australia captain Mark Taylor too was effusive in his praise for Head, who took the attack to the Indian bowlers.
"Australia had to be a little bit proactive, but as we saw in the second Test when they decided to reverse sweep and sweep everything, being proactive doesn't mean being rash. It needed someone to push the button and say 'I've got to put the pressure back on the bowler'," Taylor was quoted as saying by Wide World of Sports.
"That was the moment Travis Head thought, well I'm going to go now, I'm going to go try and eat into this deficit quickly and put the pressure on the bowler, and it worked brilliantly."
Australia had come into the match lagging 0-2 after being completely outplayed in the first two Tests.
In the third Test, the visitors were without their regular skipper Pat Cummins, who had left for home to be with his ailing mother. In his absence, the team had to make a few changes. was led brilliantly by Steve Smith.
"On a very average pitch - and that's putting it nicely - the Aussies did really well. To lose the toss as well - they won the toss in the first two and had the advantage, and then sort of lost it as the games went on," Taylor said.
"This match, they had players out, captain gone, then to lose the toss on a raging turner and still win by nine wickets, that's a great effort."
The two teams will face off in the fourth and final Test in Ahmedabad beginning March 9.
(With inputs from PTI)
