He claimed that India will not be very disturbed after the loss, considering the runs they scored.
England 1-0 India! The hosts managed to sweep India away in the first Test at Headingley, and the visitors surely have things to sort out. After piling up a hefty 471 in the first innings, the Indians couldn’t hang on to their catches. As a result, they could only manage to take a minimal lead of six runs, which didn’t help their cause. The Indian management and captain Shubman Gill are facing a lot of criticism for the way things went south. However, former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned Gill on the way Shardul Thakur was managed in the game.
Ashwin, via his YouTube channel, opined that Shardul didn’t bowl as much in the first innings. The former off-spinner stressed how India could have managed the all-rounder better, giving him more chances to bowl. He also mentioned that it is important for the team to play the first 40 overs, after which the ball goes soft and is easier to score runs.
“Shubman Gill had a fantastic game. The century must have settled his nerves. But it is a learning curve; you can’t keep pointing out mistakes. However, I’d like to mention that Shardul didn’t bowl enough in the first innings. He has a decent match-up against Joe Root, and I rate him [Shardul] as a cricketer. He can make things happen, but you’ll have to use him properly. If this is how he’s gonna be used, it makes no sense. Bowl him more”, Ashwin said on the matter.
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The 25-year-old Indian skipper has had a taste of the English conditions very early in his career. In his first game as captain, he managed to score a splendid century, which will help his confidence. Moreover, India managed to score five centuries in the match, and will be confident of their batting abilities. To add to that, the Indian skipper’s approach is quoted to be reactive as opposed to building a proactive approach.
India’s next assignment is a stern one too. To make matters equal, they will have to conquer Edgbaston, a stadium they have never tasted victory at, in the longest format. Moreover, Jasprit Bumrah is set to play only two of the remaining four Tests. And to add to that, debutant Sai Sudharsan also had a concern about his shoulder. It will be interesting to see how India approaches the second Test starting July 2.
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