Batting coach Vikram Rathour said India could not negotiate the short ball and had an “ordinary” day with the bat, allowing England to bounce back and put themselves firmly in the driver’s seat in the rescheduled fifth Test. Got it. With a lead of 132 runs, India’s batting deteriorated in the second innings on the fourth day as they scored 245 runs to set England a target of 378 runs.
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The hosts then displayed great batting and are currently at the crease with Joe Root (76 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (72 not out) just 119 runs away from their highest run chase with skipper Ben Stokes . ,
He said, ‘I agree that we had a very normal day as far as the batting is concerned. We were ahead, we were in a position where we could bat them out of the game. Unfortunately, it did not happen,” Rathore said during the press-conference.
“Many of them started but could not convert them. We were expecting one of them to play a big innings and make a big partnership but unfortunately it didn’t happen.
India paid the price for their poor shot selection as they struggled against the short-pitched delivery with Shreyas Iyer falling on the bouncer again. Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah followed suit.
“Yes, they used a short-ball scheme against us in the field,” Rathor said. “We had to show a little better, not the intention, but the strategy. We could have handled it a little differently. People tried to play shots but didn’t really convert or execute them well. They went out for it.
“We have to re-think how we handle next time against similar bowlers having the same field in a similar situation. We need to come up with a better strategy against them.”
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India were in a similar situation in the third and final Test in South Africa in January, where the visitors managed to take a short first innings lead, only to be blown away as they fell short of the ball and The match was lost by seven wickets. and series 1-2.
Asked if he expects England to use the short ball against them as South Africa did in January, Rathour said: “Obviously, at this stage you expect people to play against us and especially Will bowl short against Indian team, people are using short ball. ball for a long time. ,
“People have their own way of dealing with it. As a batsman you have your own way of dealing with it. We don’t really say whether you have to do this or that. As a batsman, you have to play your game. What suits you in that situation and under those circumstances. Unfortunately, whatever plans we had today, we couldn’t really execute them.”
Rathore, however, was still hoping for a turnaround and said that some early wickets could bring India back in the game.
“Two wickets early in the morning and the game will open again. We know that, we understand the game, it’s still a big goal. It’s still over 100 runs. We take two wickets early and the game can still start.”
“The kind of bowling Shami and Bumrah are bowling, it is not beyond them that they get a wicket, then one, two, three can fall. And it can get us back in the game.”
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