Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif asserted that the current Tes team looks more like an ODI side with players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill at the top – all three of them being the strokemakers. India failed to capitalise on the 190-run lead after the first innings against England and lost the opening Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad.
The star-studded batting department failed miserably in the 231-run chase and were bundled out for 202. Meanwhile, it was the lower order who put up the fight but Tom Hartley’s spin web was too difficult to escape for them.
“What I feel is that an Indian ODI team is playing Test cricket at the moment. Be it Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma or Shubman Gill, all are strokemakers. Gill loves to hit shots, but doesn’t have much confidence in his defence. So he has to make adjustments to his defensive technique to see off good bowling spells. Even Shreyas Iyer is an aggressive player,” Kaif told Times of India.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, former India skipper, has pulled himself out of the first two Tests against England owing to personal reasons. The BCCI has not disclosed the reason behind the absence and urged fans to refrain from anticipating the reason.
Also Read | ‘This Indian Team is Ripe, Weak in the Field’: Geoffrey Boycott’s Scathing Attack on Rohit Sharma & Co
Kaif further hopes India will get on track before Kohli returns to the side, he also suggested the Indian team’s batting looks weakened after Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul got ruled out.
“I hope it isn’t too late till Virat Kohli comes (after the second Test). Dhruv Jurel or on current form, even Sarfaraz Khan can get a look in. But in the absence of KL Rahul and Jadeja, the Indian batting will weaken, no doubt about that. Axar may have to bat at No.8 and that’s why I feel Washington Sundar can get a look-in because they want batting till No. 9,” he added/.
During the first test, R Ashwin, an off-spinner, and Ravindra Jadeja, a left-arm orthodox, shared five wickets between them in England’s second innings but the tourists overcame a big trail to post 420.
Pope’s (196) unorthodox approach blunted the spin threat and later England’s slow bowlers made it count. Hartley rattled the Indian chase along with an injured Jack Leach and part-timer Joe Root.
Comments
0 comment