Coach Bangar rues missed chances in the opening session
RAJKOT: India are hoping England capitulate like they did in the Dhaka Test — they lost all 10 second-innings wickets in a session — as they look to make inroads in the first Test early on Day 2. England seized the advantage after dominating the second and final sessions on the opening day to reach 311 for four.
Assistant coach Sanjay Bangar said India will look to apply pressure in the first session to regain the initiative. “The game changes quickly. They are four down at the moment. A couple of quick wickets and we could make early inroads and wrap them up inside a session and half. You never know. It’s still day one and had we taken those catches, we could have taken six wickets and conceded 25 fewer runs,” said the former India opener.
GOOD CONDITIONS
The Indian camp remained unfazed by the impressive innings of Joe Root and Moeen Ali, despite the fact that the New Zealand batsmen in the previous series had struggled against Ashwin and Co. Bangar said a good pitch also contributed to the strong batting show. “It was a day one wicket. Rajkot is known to be a batsman’s paradise and they fully utilised the conditions, full credit to them. They are quality players (and) applied themselves well.”
India were left to rue the dropped chances in the morning session. “We could have definitely started well. Had we taken those catches, we would probably have been asking questions of their middle order.”
India’s strategy to add Amit Mishra as the third spinner in a five-man attack didn’t go according to plan. The leg-spinner was off-colour and skipper Virat Kohli gave him just 10 overs, but Bangar didn’t read much into it.
“Generally when you are playing five bowlers on a particular day… obviously Ashwin being our No 1 spinner, ended up bowling more than 25 overs. And with freshness (on the pitch) the new ball bowlers also had a role to play, and it means one of the spinners might get fewer overs.”
Mohammed Shami suffered a hamstring problem, but he said it didn’t appear serious. “Our physio told us he suffered muscular cramps. He took an ice bath and was fine to bowl after that. He is being monitored closely and will be fit for the second day.”