'How is it that team is consistently backing these players?' - Dinesh Karthik feels victories cloaked India's problems

India cricketer and commentator Dinesh Karthik expressed his views on the major problems that still exists within the current squad playing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 against Australia.

After convincing victories in the first two Tests, and having retained the coveted Trophy, India's winning streak in Tests at home came to a halt as they suffered a nine-wicket defeat at the hands of the Kangaroos in the third Test at Indore's Holkar Stadium.

“We cannot hide from the fact that India's top 7 haven't got the scores that they would like. We are talking about consistent collapses. Is batting difficult on this pit? Most definitely. But as a team they have chosen to play on these pitches which means they need to back themselves on them. They are capable of it, a lot of the players in isolation have probably played on tougher pitches and succeeded but playing international cricket is a different ball game,” the 37-year-old said while speaking on Cricbuzz.

Victories camouflaged India's issues: Dinesh karthik

The wicketkeeper-batter opined that it was futile for India to back the players who were failing to play in such tough conditions. He stated that these problems are not new; they were existent since the Bangladesh series quite clearly, but India chose to ignore them because they were winning the matches. 

“When you get out a couple of times there are so many doubts that come, the confidence gets low. And then, to go out there and still back yourself just to play those big shots to get away from pressure can be really hard. I completely empathise with the Indian batters, it is hard work, but that is what Test cricket is,” he said.

Karthik suggested that the loss in the third Test has finally thrown everything open and it is about time the Indian think-tank made some quality changes.

“They will accept that a large part of it has been camouflaged by two things - the lower order contributions and the fact that India have won both those matches. If you rewind and go to the Bangladesh series, there also they struggled against spinners but it was camouflaged by India winning those matches and the lower order contributions," he said.

"But when you lose a match, it is glaringly obvious, it is right in your face and people will speak about it and they are right in doing it. It has happened consistently over a period of time and the question will arise, how is it that team India is consistently backing these players but they are not producing the scores that is required,” Karthik signed off.

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