Published: Jan 29, 2024, 11:05 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 29, 2024, 11:05 AM (IST)
IND VS AUS: Day 4 of the first Test match between India and England has seen Rohit Sharma adopt a “defensive” strategy that has angered veteran Indian cricket player Dinesh Karthik. Resuming at 316/6, Ollie Pope scored 196 against a target of 231 for India. While it was reasonable for India to adopt a cautious strategy against Pope, Karthik noted that India’s strategy was extremely defensive from the outset and that attacking fielders like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja should have been deployed to apply pressure against tail-enders like Tom Hartley.
India has played the defensive game too much. On JioCinema, Karthik stated, “I can understand being defensive to Pope, but to Tom Hartley, Jadeja, and Ashwin should get attacking fielders and not so many sweepers.”
Echoing similar comments, legendary Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri stated that it is ‘new territory’ for Rohit and Co. for a visiting team to amass more than 400 runs in the third innings.
“There’s a decline in body language. India does not currently occupy this land. The home team is clearly feeling pressured. He stated, “They are not accustomed to visiting teams scoring more than 400 runs in the third inning.
On Sunday’s fourth day of play, Pope struck 196 runs as England finished their second innings at 420 all out, with India needing 231 runs to win the first Test.
After the tourists opened the day on 316-6, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah took four wickets and bowled Pope to end the England innings in the first session in Hyderabad.
After trailing by 190 runs at the beginning of the innings, England fell to 163-5 on Saturday. However, Pope responded with his fifth Test century and a 112-run partnership with Ben Foakes.
ALSO WATCH:
The much-anticipated Test series between India and England kicked off with an unexpected twist as Rohit Sharma’s captaincy came under scrutiny during the 1st Test. The focus shifted from the thrilling cricket action to the questionable field placements and defensive strategies employed by Sharma, leaving fans and critics alike puzzled.
Defensive Field Placements:One of the glaring issues that emerged during the match was Sharma’s seemingly conservative field placements, especially in crucial situations where an attacking approach could have turned the tide in India’s favor. The decision to adopt a defensive stance against a formidable England batting lineup left many wondering if Sharma missed an opportunity to apply pressure and dictate terms on the field.
Failure to Seize Key Moments:In a Test match, captains play a pivotal role in seizing key moments that can swing the momentum in their team’s favor. However, Sharma’s captaincy in the 1st Test was criticized for lacking the aggression needed to capitalize on advantageous situations. The choice of defensive field placements at critical junctures allowed England to consolidate their position rather than being put under sustained pressure.
Questionable Bowling Rotations:Another aspect that drew attention was Sharma’s handling of the bowling attack. With premier spinners like Ashwin and Jadeja at his disposal, there was an expectation of a more attacking approach. However, the rotation of bowlers seemed at times predictable and failed to exploit potential weaknesses in the English batting lineup.
