Paras Mhambrey, the bowling coach for India, addressed the disappointing performance of the Indian team on Day 2 of the ongoing fourth Test in England, acknowledging that they had not anticipated the pitch to deteriorate so significantly on that day.
Despite England putting India on the back foot by concluding their innings at 353 runs, there was an expectation for a more resilient batting display from the visitors. Following a promising partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal (73) and Shubman Gill (38) after the early dismissal of captain Rohit Sharma (2), it seemed India might secure a lead.
However, the dismissal of Shubman Gill marked a turning point, leading to a dramatic collapse. Rajat Patidar (17), Ravindra Jadeja (12), Sarfaraz Khan (12), and Ravichandran Ashwin (1) lost their wickets in quick succession, leaving the hosts struggling at 177/6.
The drastic collapse of the Indian team was largely influenced by the challenging conditions of the pitch. The ball exhibited an unusually low bounce, leaving the batsmen uncertain about the surface behavior after pitching. England spinner Shoaib Bashir stood out as the top-performing bowler, securing four wickets.
Paras Mhambrey, discussing the pitch conditions, expressed surprise at the unexpected low bounce on Day 2. While acknowledging their anticipation of a slower pitch, they did not foresee the unpredictable variable bounce.
In a statement to the media, Mhambrey elaborated, “Based on our observations from previous matches at this venue, the pitch typically slows down as the days progress. Historically, it has tended to get slower and lower. We were prepared for that. However, what caught us off guard was the significant low bounce on Day 2. Some deliveries displayed variable bounce, which was beyond our expectations. We foresaw a slowdown, but not to the extent of the unpredictable bounce we witnessed in the last couple of days.”
Paras Mhambrey emphasized that the Indian team did not make any specific requests regarding the type of pitch for the fourth Test in Ranchi. He argued that the pitch cannot be classified as a rank turner due to the variable bounce it exhibited. Mhambrey clarified, “We cannot control the venues; this was the designated venue for the series. The pitch here has historically not been consistently a rank turner. I wouldn’t categorize it as such because of the evident variable bounce. There weren’t many deliveries that sharply spun or were deemed unplayable.”
Following a challenging situation at 177/7, Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav played a crucial role in rescuing the team. Their partnership added 42 runs, ensuring that India surpassed the 200-run mark. Dhruv Jurel remained unbeaten at 30 runs, while the spinner was at 17 when stumps were called on Day 2. Their focus would be to narrow the gap with England’s total in the upcoming play.
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