In cricket, slip-catching requires hand-eye coordination, anticipation, and concentration, and in this aspect of game, India has frequently failed since VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid set high standards.
The present fielders have not always been able to judge the speed and direction of the ball, resulting in costly and often match-turning mistakes.
“It is all about coordination because it is a specialist position. In England, most wickets fall to catches behind the wicket since the ball moves a lot. So a slip fielder is always in play throughout the game,” said former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif.
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For a team, missed opportunities in the cordon can make or break a game. In Australia’s second innings during the World Test Championship final at The Oval, India missed a chance when Alex Carey, batting on 41, edged one off Umesh Yadav. The ball went between Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, and neither player went for it. They just stood there and watched the ball go by. One can contend that it was Kohli’s catch since it was to his right.
“These things must be sorted out before you take the field. You can’t miss these chances,” mentioned Kaif.
Television cameras showed Pujara wearing pads while standing in the slips. “This is being lazy. In these moments, the fielder probably thinks there won’t be catches coming to slips, and there might be a declaration on the cards. But it was a vital stage of the game when India couldn’t afford lapses.”
“Shin pads make your movement slow, and you can’t bend properly. I don’t believe it doesn’t affect you,” Kaif added. “These are not mistakes that have happened for the first time. I have seen them happen again and again and no one gives it much thought.”
For slip fielders, prediction is another essential skill. The players must be able to judge the swing well and anticipate the direction of the ball. These things are not always easy, as batter can be unpredictable. However, the best slip fielders can read the batter’s body language and guess where the ball may go.
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“Converting half-chances can win you matches. Take a look at the half-chance that Steve Smith had offered in the first innings when the ball fell short of Kohli at slip. Australia were at 190, and if Smith had fallen then, who knows what might have happened.”
“In England and Australia where there is bounce on offer, slips stand almost 25 yards behind the stumps. In Asia, you stand nearer to the batter. So, someone like Kohli must know where he needs to stand so that he takes these chances. These are ways in which you can win games for your team.”
Kaif stated that Kohli’s catch on the fifth day was a textbook one, citing Steve Smith’s effort. Smith dived to his right to take it with both hands. It showed that he had his full attention on the ball. It was not about reflexes rather a habit.
“Like batting, slip-fielding is also about staying in your box and focusing on every ball. The catch that Smith took of Kohli does not come often in a game, and it came on the last day of the game. But Smith was ready. He had got his basics right,” said Kaif.
“It is a routine you follow every time you go into the cordon. If the routine and basics are good, it does not matter if it is the first ball of the game or the last; it will help you. All the best catchers follow this routine,” explained Kaif.
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