Reasons for India's loss at Southampton

India'a never abating batting woes on the overseas tour continued to haunt them in Southampton as they yet again floundered in the fourth innings. If it was the pace attack which was the wrecker-in-chief in the first two Tests, it was spin this time around. Chasing a target of 245 runs, Indian batsmen could only manage 184 runs and conceded the series to the Englishmen.

It was a repeat of 2014 when Moeen Ali had run through the Indian batting with his gentle off-break. Moeen Ali bowled beautifully again on a track assisting spin and accounted for nine dismissals in the match.

It is a time for introspection for the team as this was the third time in a row in the recent past when they had faltered in chasing in the fourth innings. This defeat also means that India has lost their second overseas Test series in a row.

It would be a good time to reflect upon the reasons for India's defeat.

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England recovered from 84/6 to make 245 in the first innings

Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat first. Indian pace trio tormented the English batsmen and soon they were 84/6. It looked as if they would be bowled out under 150. Sam Curran came to the rescue again and with some assistance from the tail took the attack to the Indians.

Indian bowlers yet again struggled to take the last 4 wickets which proved too costly for them in the end. Ashwin failed to impress on a dry pitch which offered some turn.

England managed to put forth a respectable total of 245 runs in the first innings.

Indian Openers failed to click once again

Dhawan perished to ball moving away yet again

Indian openers were expected to provide a solid start as they had done in the third Test. They failed to click in both the innings. Rahul's perennial problem with the ball coming in continued as he became a sitting duck to an in-dipper from Broad. Though he was unlucky to be bowled in the second innings, he never looked in control in his short stay.

Dhawan has had his share of problems with the ball shaping away and he again perished to the same. With the openers getting out cheaply, there was way too much pressure on the middle-order to score the bulk of the runs. Moreover, India did not have the luxury of a strong lower order like the England.

No contribution from the lower middle-order

Pandya's place will be questioned once again

There was no substantial contribution from the lower middle-order comprising of Pandya, Pant and Ashwin.

Pandya's role in the Test team will bound to come up for discussion once again. He was rarely used in the match though he got the prized wicket of Cook in the first innings. His contribution with the bat was negligible. Pant does look like that he is not ready for Test cricket. He has a one-dimensional play and lacks solid defence which is vital in Test cricket.

India went in with a lone spinner on a dry surface

England played 2 spinners

Kohli may be a great batsman but at times his decisions as a captain have been questionable. At Lords under overcast conditions with rain around, he went in with two spinners which proved to a recipe for disaster.

At Southampton, on a pitch which had a texture and feel of the sub-continent, Kohli played a half-fit Ashwin as his lone spinner. Even more, surprising was that England was going in with two spinners and that too did not ring a bell in the Indian camp.

Ashwin was ordinary on a turning pitch

Ashwin lacked the vigour

Ashwin seemed not fully fit going into the fourth Test. This was apparent in the way he approached the bowling crease. On the pitch, which offered vicious turn, Ashwin by his own standards was way too ordinary. He bowled too fast and was rushing through his overs. He was not able to pitch the ball consistently in one place and tried to experiment a lot.

On the contrary, Moeen Ali showed how to bowl on the track and kept pitching the ball in the rough and was awarded nine wickets in the match.

India go into the fifth Test battered and bruised and a lot of questions to be answered.