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NEW DELHI, Sunday (Reuters) - India's free-scoring batsmen have come under an unwelcome spotlight after flopping repeatedly on seaming pitches during their current New Zealand tour.

India's strong point has suddenly become a weakness during heavy defeats in a 2-0 test series rout, both under three days, and defeat in the first one-day international in Auckland on Thursday.

At Eden Park, in the absence due to injury of Sachin Tendulkar, India were shot out for 108 on a pitch affording bounce and sharp seam movement.

India's under-rated fast bowlers themselves hit back to rattle the hosts before they scrambled to a three-wicket win.

Although both captain Saurav Ganguly and his New Zealand counterpart Stephen Fleming blamed the underprepared "drop-in" pitch in Auckland, the failures have come too close to next February's World Cup for Indian comfort. POOR FOOTWORK

The India batsmen's techniques on bowler-friendly pitches is under question as they find that hitting through the line with minimal footwork can succeed only in the sub-continent.

With pacy pitches also expected for the World Cup starting in southern Africa in February, they have found their build-up has gone awry.

Critics have blamed lack of application for their plight.

Explosive opener Virender Sehwag is a case in point. Compared to Tendulkar for his audacious strokeplay, he has managed only 40 runs in four test innings and failed to score in the one-dayer.

Ganguly too has fallen to poor foot work as has the wristy Vangipurappu Laxman.

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar has blamed lack of application for the plight of the Indian batsmen.

"What is worrying is the lack of application by the Indian batsmen and their inability to learn from the mistakes they made in the tests," he wrote in the Hindustan Times newspaper.

"Once again the batsmen tried to play too many shots too soon and the footwork was appalling for a side that brims with talent, but is obviously struggling on the mental aspect." SELECTOR CONFIDENT

The beleagured batsmen however have found some support from national selector Kirti Azad, a former test player.

"I am not too bothered (with the batting), the conditions are totally different from those at home," he told Reuters. "The New Zealand batsmen also have not fared much better, only we have three defeats against our name."

He said the trend would be arrested on what he expects will be more batsmen-friendly pitches at the World Cup.

India had relied on the batting of their top trio of Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Ganguly to rally and draw a four-test series in England 1-1 this summer.

Their batting depth was also evident in one-dayers as they beat hosts England in a tri-series final chasing 326 and then finished joint winners in the Champions Trophy with hosts Sri Lanka in September.

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