In Indore, it took just 77 minutes on the third day for Australia to knock off the runs they needed to pull the series back to 2-1, with one Test to play. With that, three Tests have ended in a combined seven and a half days, roughly half the time allotted to them.

The primary reason for this has been the pitches. While the first two aided spin, the third was extreme on the first morning, before easing up a touch while still keeping things interesting. There has been much moaning and groaning about the Holkar Stadium from experts and fans, but the Indian team is having none of it.

“When the series starts we decide what kind of pitches we’ve to play on. This was everyone’s call to play on such pitches,” said Rohit Sharma at the end of the Test. “I don’t think we are putting pressure on our own batters. When we win, everything looks good. Nobody talks about batting. When we lose, these things come out.”

But, if the nature of surfaces is one reason for low scores and quick finishes, the batting has also contributed. In the first two Tests, Australia did not have the best plans and in the third India came undone.

“People have to play well for the game to last five days. Games are not lasting for five days even outside India. Yesterday, in South Africa the game got ever in three days,” said Rohit. “It’s about skills. People have to adapt. It’s not always about ensuring we’re playing on flat wickets, the results don’t come. In Pakistan, there were three Test matches played, people were saying it’s become so boring. We’re making it interesting for you guys.”

There was refreshing honesty from Rohit who readily admitted that his crew were simply not good enough in this Test. “Both the innings was not the way we would have liked to. Even in the first innings, I don’t think a lot was happening,” Rohit said. “We played poorly. Out of the 10 wickets in the first innings, maybe one or two were where the pitch did help the bowler a little bit. We played some poor shots. We didn’t apply enough. I would put it down to a lack of concentration.”

At the heart of this is that this current crop of batsmen are just not masters of playing spin, something that was taken for granted in years gone by. They play very little domestic cricket, which does not help. To play spin well, you need to constantly work on your technique and keep it fine-tuned. Whether it’s footwork or shot selection or balance, this comes from playing top-flight spin regularly, something that can hardly be replicated by throw-downs in the nets.When the conversation veered back to pitches, Rohit showed some irritability. “Honestly this pitch talk is just getting too much,” said Rohit. “Every time we play in India, there’s only the focus on the pitch. Why are people not asking me about Nathan Lyon, how well he bowled. How Pujara played in the second innings? How well Usman Khawaja played?”

A lot of this is because former cricketers, in commentary boxes and columns have gone hard at India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, for these surfaces. “Former cricketers, I don’t think they’ve played on pitches like this. Honestly speaking, this is the kind of pitch we want to play on. When you’re playing at your home, you always play to your strength, not worry about what people outside are talking about. Our strength is spin bowling and that batting depth.”

While that strength is certainly there on paper, it can’t be easy for a batsman to feel like he is in any kind of form on these surfaces. Take Virat Kohli, who has looked good in three of the last four innings he has played. The big runs just aren’t coming and that can never be good for confidence, however strong you are mentally.

“People have to find their way of scoring runs. We do understand the nature of the pitch, consistent runs from one or two will not come. But we’re very much okay with that, as long as, as a whole, we are getting the job done,” said Rohit “That is what I’m looking at. We’re here to win, whether it’s two days or five days, it doesn’t really matter.”

But, it matters to the paying public, to broadcasters, to those who earn a livelihood around cricket at venues, to hotels and restaurants and tourist spots that bank on the action going five days. It’s one thing to have the odd Test finishing quickly, but to consistently have games not go beyond the third day is having an impact, even if the team are not feeling it.

“We don’t want to prepare a pitch where the results are not coming. We want to play to win, every game that we play,” said Rohit. “We want to be brave enough not just with talking, we want to be brave enough in what we do out on the field, which starts with playing on challenging pitches.”

Listening to Rohit, one thing is clear: despite what anyone else might think, the nature of pitches in home Tests is not going to change anytime soon.

BRIEF SCORES
INDIA 109 & 163
AUSTRALIA 1st Innings: 197
AUSTRALIA 2nd Innings:
Usman Khawaja 0,Travis
Head not out 49,Marnus
Labuschagne not out 28;
Ashwin 1/44