Published: Nov 24, 2017, 10:00 PM (IST)
Edited: Nov 24, 2017, 10:00 PM (IST)
India consolidated from where they left at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Restricting Sri Lanka for 205 in the opening day of the second Test, they are in the driver’s seat at the moment. Trailing by 194 runs, hosts will like to get rid off the deficit soon and dictate terms from thereon. On the other hand, Sri Lanka interim head coach Nic Pothas termed the first day as ‘disappointing’ for the Lankans wherein they failed to score on a good pitch.
‘No demons on the pitch’
“It was a disappointing day for us. No demons on that wicket and we didn’t bat as well as we should have done. The captain made a decision at that time (getting out on a switch hit). We empower the batsmen to make decisions at the middle. He obviously felt that that was the way to score runs at that point, but it didn’t come off. I probably say that maybe the timing of that shot was perhaps not at its best. But you cannot be there forever and block it.”
‘India bowled well…
First session of a Test match, you try to set a base and try to bat for a long time. You try and bat for a day and a bit if you win the toss. New-ball spells are always tough and you try to blunt that. I thought India bowled well, I don’t think there were too many free balls going that we missed out on, but we adapted after lunch.
We let ourselves down from that point onwards. You can’t say that Niroshan Dickwella gets out and the rest can get out. Dickwella is a positive batter and that’s a shot he plays well. I don’t want to stop him [from] being himself. I want people to bat the way they bat and he is kind of player who transfers pressure back to the bowlers.”
‘Ashwin-Jadeja got wickets bowling stump to stump’
“We have to execute our plans. The wicket has got no demons. It hasn’t spun, it hasn’t seamed. There were six straight ball dismissals. Ashwin and Jadeja have got wickets bowling stump to stump. At this level you can’t be missing straight balls.
On India preparing surfaces keeping South Africa tour in mind
“That’s a professional environment. They are planning. They are looking forward to another series that is coming up. They have every right in their country to prepare the wickets they want. That’s what every side do.
From our point of view that we are only concentrating on ourselves and playing best cricket. The Indian team is doing exactly that preparing for a series. That’s their prerogative and that’s their right. I have no problem with that.”
