New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS): Former India wicketkeeper Deep Das Gupta opined that India's 1-3 defeat against Australia in the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy was due to their defensive mindset across the series

The veteran cricketer criticised India's approach to field eight batters across the series and compromising on bowling depth, reflecting the visiting side's defensive mindset in their approach.

“When you select a team, it reflects your mindset. And I felt that from the first test match, the Indian team went with a defensive mindset, evident from the batting-heavy combination up to No. 8, including Washington Sundar as a specialist batsman despite the limited overs he bowled. This approach compromised bowling depth to bolster the batting lineup. That defensive mindset was the biggest reason for the team’s struggles. A positive mindset leads to clarity, and everything else aligns naturally," Gupta said on Star Sports.

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar added that Nitish Kumar Reddy's outstanding performance with the bat has left the side in a selection dilemma.

“Nitish Reddy’s unexpected performance put the team in a dilemma. The combination of Nitish Reddy with Washington Sundar or Ravindra Jadeja created confusion. When there is an in-form player, it’s hard to drop him. The team management seemed to react as the series progressed rather than being proactive. On those pitches, decisions should have been made based on the immediate requirements. A more proactive approach could have resulted in better team combinations," he said.