While one can understand lack of wickets on a good batting surface, the inability to stitch dot balls together must have left coach Anil Kumble worried
India's Amit Mishra appeals for a leg before verdict against England tailender Zafar Ansari in Rajkot yesterday. Pic/PTI
India's Amit Mishra appeals for a leg before verdict against England tailender Zafar Ansari in Rajkot yesterday. Pic/PTI
Rajkot: The first two days of the first Test match has given us loads to reflect upon. The importance of winning the toss in the sub-continent can never be overstated. For, only once — in 2016 — the team that lost the toss went on to win the game. England won an important toss, which incidentally is the first toss Kohli has lost at home, and made full use of the advantage it presented on a perfect pitch to bat on.
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The dropped catches in the first half hour on the first day added to India's agony. If you go by just conventional numbers, those chances of Cook and Hameed didn't cost India a fortune as they scored only 52 runs between them but those who know how this wonderful game works would tell you a different story.
Cook was dropped off the third ball of the first day and if that catch was taken, Root would've been in against the new ball with both Umesh and Shami fresh. There could've been a realistic possibility of England losing a couple more in the first hour or so. Something we would never know. While all catches at this level are supposed to be taken, one must also acknowledge the challenges slip fielders face on low Indian pitches. Since the bounce is on the lower side, fielders are told to stand a lot closer and that radically reduces the reaction time. In addition to standing closer, you must also stay extremely low because most edges die to the slip cordon. It isn't easy but it must still be done.
High standards
Over the last 12 months, this Indian team has set very high standards in the field and therefore they must be hurt. But what could've gone wrong? Why were so many catches grassed? Perhaps, it has something to do with what the team must be practising over the last 12 months. In the recent past, most of catches in the slip cordon have come when the spinners were bowling and there's a huge difference in pouching nicks off spinners as compared to off pacers. This game has ensured that Indian fielding coach R Sridhar, a very hardworking professional, is kept busy the next few weeks.
Even if we leave aside the dropped chances and their impact, there is reason for the Indian team to introspect a little. This is a typical Indian pitch that plays true for the first couple of days and will start offering more to spinners as the match progresses.
Since winning the toss isn't a given (irrespective of Kohli's unbelievable record), it was imperative to find ways to take wickets or at least keeping the run flow in check. Unfortunately, the Indian bowling failed on both counts. In the last few series, especially at home, India had almost always batted first and put a decent total on the board, which in turn allowed the bowlers to dictate terms a little more.
In Rajkot, the bowlers were given a different task, a task they haven't been asked to perform recently. While one can understand lack of wickets on a good batting surface, the inability to stitch dot balls together must have left Kumble and Co a little worried.
Too few maidens
India bowled only nine maiden overs on the first day and that allowed England to start the second day from a position of authority. England have nearly batted India out of this game. For India to salvage a draw, they need to bat another day and a half without compromising on the scoring rate. It's going to be tough, but who said Test cricket is simple?
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