Why chasing in 4th innings is so difficult in test cricket?

[WeStMiDz]

1. Mental block - history suggests you can't chase much in the 4th innings. Therefore as soon a score crosses a certain amount, typically 200, the bowling team feels in the game and the batting feels they have a tough task.

 

2. Pitch conditions - wear and tear means batsmen are never in. Contrast with white ball cricket where the ball rarely does anything off the straight.

 

3. Mindset - close in fielders means batsmen are constantly adapting their technique to avoid being caught in the various close in positions especially against spin bowling. This immediately puts the bowlers on top as a batsman's first instinct is to survive. Contrast to limited overs where the batsmen's instinct is to score. 

Edited September 4, 2018 by WeStMiDz

[velu]

@Austin 3:!6  there is no Dhoni in test cricket to perfect the chase  

[rkt.india]

Noob

[rtmohanlal]

a combination of both toughness and negative mind set . Just take Pandya & Pujara ....  contrast it with rookie Pant. Both Pandya & Pujara were far more capable of putting at the least  a few more runs than what they actually did.In such low scoring chases , no body is expecting you to score  100+............ 20+, 30+ etc would do a lot in eventually winning the match.For that you need to play with an absolute positive frame of mind and grit.Contrast it with Pant who scored a mere 18 of just 12 balls showing scoring runs are possible.

[zen]

2 minutes ago, rtmohanlal said:

a combination of both toughness and negative mind set . Just take Pandya & Pujara ....  contrast it with rookie Pant. Both Pandya & Pujara were far more capable of putting at the least  a few more runs than what they actually did.In such low scoring chases , no body is expecting you to score  100+............ 20+, 30+ etc would do a lot in eventually winning the match.For that you need to play with an absolute positive frame of mind and grit.Contrast it with Pant who scored a mere 18 of just 12 balls showing scoring runs are possible.

Note that Pujara has been our 2nd best batsman in the series with SENA specialists such as Rahane letting India down .... Pujara also scored 140+ runs in the test .... Pandya actually won us the 3rd test 

[rtmohanlal]

13 minutes ago, zen said:

Note that Pujara has been our 2nd best batsman in the series with SENA specialists such as Rahane letting India down .... Pujara also scored 140+ runs in the test .... Pandya actually won us the 3rd test 

not at all blaming Pujara and Pandya  in the bigger scheme of things.Both of them did perform  fairly well over all. But yet,  situations like  the 2nd inns chase in the 4rth test are those do or die  moments where you badly expect players to show lot more grit and grind it out for a few tough runs . Here Pujara having lots of  experience  more than Pandya disappointed.If they both scored some 30-35 runs combined, that would even have given extra motivation for the likes of Shami & Ishant to hang in there.

Edited September 4, 2018 by rtmohanlal

[Vilander]

Kohli spoke about England being more brave -

 

its about playing a few shots and working with your percentage shots. 

 

Some one like Sehwag will be all intent that one extreme - the other is someone like Sachin who will crumble being circumspect..

[Trichromatic]

On 9/2/2018 at 4:38 PM, Austin 3:!6 said:

I mean 245 is a walk in the park in white ball cricket. Hell 245 is even scored in T20s and Rohit Sharma alone has 260 odd score.

But in test cricket India chased anything over 240 just 3 times in entire history, can you believe it? Why is there such a drastic difference? Does players need to change their mindset and go more into ODI mode while chasing in test cricket? How can batting in 4th innings be improved?

Asks teams in Asia cup if 245 is cake walk.

 

And these aren't even close to day 5 pitch. Much better than most day 5 pitches.

[Gollum]

Learn from Lanka. 

[Straight Drive]

I remember we chased 400 once against WI batting last on our to WI in 1976.  Iirc Sunny scored a ton in that innings. Since then I don't think we have chased anything over 400. 

[Gollum]

4 minutes ago, Straight Drive said:

I remember we chased 400 once against WI batting last on our to WI in 1976.  Iirc Sunny scored a ton in that innings. Since then I don't think we have chased anything over 400. 

And Vishy. 

[Straight Drive]

2 minutes ago, Gollum said:

And Vishy. 

Yup,  Vishy too. 

 

Have we chased anything better than that in 43 years post that match. ?

[addicted4444]

The reasons are:

1) Pitch has worsened. 

2) Red ball is harder to play. 

3) No over restrictions means that if you have picked 4-5 bowlers, even if 1-2 are not performing, you simply keep bowling the best bowlers you have. Batsmen are constantly facing bowlers bowling well. 

4) The slower over rate needed means bowlers, esp fast bowlers, can put in more effort each ball. 

5) The lack of wides means the batsmen has to cover a much wider range of deliveries. 

6) After 2-4 days out on the field, players are mentally and physically tired. 

7) If you start playing aggressively and successfully, bowling teams can easily shut you down by bowling negative. Cramming the off side with fielders and bowling wide outside the offstump, or bowling negatively down the leg. If I am remembering correctly, Jayasuriya, and the SL team has a tremendous amount of success bowling negatively down the leg with a packed leg side field. 

 

There are are many reasons 4th and 5th day batting is much harder than LOI batting. That being said, India has been worse than they should be at chasing, especially the last few years which indicates mental weakness. 

[Gollum]

3 hours ago, Straight Drive said:

Yup,  Vishy too. 

 

Have we chased anything better than that in 43 years post that match. ?

Not better but that 387 chase in Cheapuk against England immediately after 26/11 was pretty epic, especially considering the mood of the nation. Full props to England for touring and supporting us, the hotel they were supposed to stay at (Taj, Mumbai) got attacked by the Pak! bastards. 

[SK_IH]

1 minute ago, Gollum said:

Not better but that 387 chase in Cheapuk against England immediately after 26/11 was pretty epic, especially considering the mood of the nation. Full props to England for touring and supporting us, the hotel they were supposed to stay at (Taj, Mumbai) got attacked by the Pak! bastards. 

Even 250 odd vs Lanka was a good effort in 2010, that was another Laxman classic

[Gollum]

4 minutes ago, SK_IH said:

Even 250 odd vs Lanka was a good effort in 2010, that was another Laxman classic

And that 220 chase in Mohali against Aus (2010), again a VVS special. That came despite a couple of howlers against us, lovely memories. 

[rageaddict]

387 against England is the highest chase in Tests in Asia and Tendulkar got a ton in that innings with Sehwag giving a good start at the top. 

[SK_IH]

Just now, Gollum said:

And that 220 chase in Mohali against Aus (2010), again a VVS special. That came despite a couple of howlers against us, lovely memories. 

Truth, VVS was so clutch. 2010 was golden for VVS, he orchesterated three back to back magical victories vs Lanka, vs Aus and then in SA. 

[Gollum]

1 minute ago, SK_IH said:

Truth, VVS was so clutch. 2010 was golden for VVS, he orchesterated three back to back magical victories vs Lanka, vs Aus and then in SA. 

Yup, that entire batting unit was magical. Pity the bowling wasn't penetrative enough even at home.

VVS also scored a match saving 124* (day 5) in the Napier test a year earlier, that Gambhir marathon innings wallah match..he was so consistently good in crisis situations .