Mohammed Siraj’s extended net session with the bat has created a lot of talk on social media during India’s first training session after their five-wicket loss to England in the first Test a few days ago. This comes after a lower-middle and tail-end collapse in both innings of the visitors’ innings cost the Shubman Gill-led team dearly in Headingley.
Siraj, who was batting under the watchful eye of batting instructor Sitanshu Kotak, was seen honing his defensive skills.
Siraj was seen practicing ducking under short deliveries, dropping balls outside the off stump’s line and playing the forward defensive shot with delicate hands. Siraj’s emphasis on batting may be a step towards a more determined approach by the management.
The other pacers from the first Test, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, did not attend the training session. India’s bottom six fell for just 65 runs in both innings. Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, has repeatedly highlighted the importance of each run. It appears that management has chosen to implement a new system in which bowlers must also bat.
The bowling lineup for India’s second Test is set to change a few times. Bumrah is said to be resting for the game to manage his workload. Shardul Thakur may not make the XI following a string of poor performances with both bat and ball. Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh may be included in the mix.
The second game in the series will be played in Edgbaston. The match is slated to begin on Wednesday, July 2, at 3:30 p.m. (IST). Historically, Birmingham has not been a popular venue for Indian teams. They have lost all seven Tests there.
India
