For the first time in his captaincy tenure, Virat Kohli went in with an unchanged team in two successive Test matches. While there have been injury concerns, India has stuck to their horses and courses philosophy by constantly chopping and changing.
Now while this work in home conditions, there is now a feeling that there is a quiet discontent brewing among players who believe that this constant shuffling of team and players is not doing any good to the confidence of the team.
"It would have been better if they had said at the start of the tour, 'guys, we will go with the same team for the first three Tests. Do your best.' That gives a different kind of confidence. Kohli is a good man and wants the best for the team and doesn't mean to create it but the changes make you doubt yourself. It's our mistake to feel like that probably but we are humans," a player was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
If the results go in favour of India, there will be no questions posed, but this team has been struggling in overseas conditions. For all the talk of coming very close and not crossing the line, the insecurity which is breeding in the ranks is a cause for concern for captain Virat Kohli.
Ravi Shastri is an involved coach
Several former players have come down hard on coach Ravi Shastri and want him to be made accountable for India's results, but if players are to be believed as a coach he has been a good influence.
He can be found standing next to the nets, giving inputs to players which in return, improves their game. However, when this constant chopping and changing occurs, it leaves a sour taste, even for the senior players.
While players do realise that the leadership group has its own method to communicate things, the senior players believe that the bowling plans should have been more pointed. The Indian bowlers have managed to get rid of the top five or six batsmen rather quickly, but then the tail has stuck around and this has cost them the match.
"Before the start of the series, it was clear to me that England's lower-middle order is its strength. You might get their top out but they will fight later. In nearly every game, we let the lower-middle order to score," the player told Indian Express.
