IPL contributed to Team India's decline in close-in fielding: Ian Chappell

Bengaluru: Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell believes that although the advent of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has helped India improve their fielding standards, the close-in fielding aspect of the side has been adversely affected.

India were routed by Australia in the first of the four-match Test series by Australia, who registered a 333-run victory in Pune, last week.

Australia skipper Steve Smith scored an impressive century in the second innings of the match, helping the visitors gain a commanding position in the game. The Indian fielders dropped the Aussie skipper three times during this crucial innings.

Chappell believes that the IPL has contributed to the downfall in the standards of close-in fielding of India.

“On the evidence of the last couple of years it would appear that the IPL has brought about a rapid improvement in India’s out fielding and an equally quick decline in close-in catching standards,” wrote Chappell in his column in Hindustan Times.

The 73-year-old further went on to say that the lack of anticipation led to Team India dropping those crucial catches. He wrote, “Any fielder can drop a catch but it was the lack of anticipation and faulty technique that seemed so out of place in catching positions where India once used to excel.”

Commenting on India’s batting collapse in Pune, Chappell said that on a pitch like the one that was on offer in Pune, the batsmen should play their shots in order to unsettle them, or risk getting out.

“For many years it’s been accepted that Indian batsmen play spin better than most. On the evidence of Pune that is now a myth. If batsmen continually allow an accurate spinner to maintain the length he wants to bowl on a helpful pitch, then disaster is sure to strike,” he wrote.

“KL Rahul was one Indian batsman who adopted an aggressive outlook. He was enjoying mounting success until his adventurous shot-making outweighed reason,” wrote Chappell. “Under the conditions provided in Pune, batsmen needed to utilise calculated aggression rather than a knockout blow approach.”