On a low and slow Kotla pitch, Australia’s reckless approach backfired, as India won the match by six wickets.
The “panic” in the Indian camp was justified after Travis Head’s onslaught on the second evening of the Delhi Test, but captain Rohit Sharma had a long talk with his three spinners to make sure the hosts didn’t deviate from their original intentions. Head, opening the innings for the first time in the absence of injured David Warner, stunned the hosts with an aggressive 39 not out, putting Australia in a commanding position at 61 for one on the second day of the second Test. As Rohit realized things were getting out of hand, he huddled with his veteran spin three of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel before Sunday’s first ball.
Australia’s reckless approach backfired on a low and sluggish Kotla pitch, but India won by six wickets thanks to the fearsome duo of Ashwin and Jadeja.
“You can’t always make things more complicated than they need to be. They scored nearly five runs per over yesterday, reaching 62 for one in 12 overs. I saw us trying to switch fields way too often out of sheer dread.
I wanted to remind the three spinners early in the day to maintain their composure. The frequency with which we switched fields last night was unnecessary. We leave it where it is, secures it, and hope that the batters will make that error.
At the post-game media session, Rohit observed, “I could see it they intended to play that style (aggressive), and that wicket was not where you could come out and simply keep playing the shots.”
Most of Australia’s hitters fell to sweep or reverse sweep as Jadeja (who finished with 10 wickets) and Ashwin continued to target the stumps.
You need to strike a balance and apply pressure on them. Our bowling strategy will not change even if they play some shots. Cricket is a game that Axar, Jaddu, and Ash are all very familiar with playing under these conditions. When things aren’t going your way, you have to put your faith in them.
They are one of the best teams in the world, and we will be placed under duress at times because they have strong batters, too. The key was to leave it alone and let the pitch do its thing. Even though Rohit showed quick footwork in both of his innings, he concluded that a sweep shot was not the ideal choice for the conditions. He also emphasized the significance of technique when attacking, noting that it is not unique to defensive situations.
Shoots to the ground sweeps and reverse sweeps are all examples of defensive and offensive techniques you’ll require. The Indian team’s young men are all born multi-skilled players who can both attack and defend.
“On this kind of pitch, it’s crucial that you trust your own technique. Because of this, preparedness is absolutely necessary. We had seven or eight days to prepare for the Nagpur Test, all of which we put to good use. We practiced different shots and strategies.
“We were batting on black soil while playing in Nagpur on red soil. As a result, stepping out to the spinners was arguably the safest bet rather than attempting a sweep. This is how I see it.
All hitters have their own mental processes while they’re at the plate; the key is to trust your own.
The primary goal should be to accumulate run production. You may play a game consisting of 100 or 200 balls, but if you’re going to use so many balls, it’s crucial to score some runs. The captain noted, “For that, you need to play shots, and we keep addressing it.”
Jadeja, who returned from injury in time for the first Test in Nagpur, once again demonstrated his invaluable contributions to the team.
He has done a fantastic job. While comebacks are never simple, that individual seems to have faith in his own abilities. That’s huge, and it’s clearly visible out there. There were moments of stress, but he never felt panicked. He simply persisted in focusing on his strengths.
“He gave up more than five runs per over last night, but he was confident in his ability to put the batters under pressure and strike them out because he knew precisely what they were attempting to do.”
Having Axar, Jaddu, and Ash down in the batting order is a huge boon.
On day two, Axar and Ashwin put up 114 runs for the eighth wicket, changing the match in their team’s favor and demonstrating their value as both bowlers and hitters. Jadeja has contributed to the series’ success with his bat and his ball.
“It’s to your advantage to delve as deeply as you can. We’ve been trying to move past this for a long time. Thankfully, we have those three men. Allows you to maintain an edge even when the bowlers are starting to tire out, as these substitutes can still play a few shots.
Because of their skill, they are able to counter the bowlers and increase the pressure on the other team. It’s a huge relief to have these three men on board,” Rohit said.
