Former India player and current commentator Sanjay Manjrekar appeared disappointed after Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul failed to convert their solid starts on Day 1 of the Manchester Test. Manjrekar raised the possibility that the dismissals may have been due to mental fatigue from the long series.
England won the toss and opted to bowl first under overcast skies. The conditions were ideal for seam bowling, but the Indian openers tackled the early challenge well. Rahul’s solid technique and Jaiswal’s determination ensured India ended the first session without losing a wicket, putting up 78 runs.
However, things changed after lunch. Rahul, who was looking set on 46, edged a delivery from Chris Woakes to the slips, where Zak Crawley completed the catch. Jaiswal also fell shortly after, caught by Harry Brook off Liam Dawson’s bowling for 58.
Reacting to these quick dismissals, Manjrekar questioned whether fatigue was beginning to show. “You saw the first session, an important one, go to India and then England, making that second session their own. We saw two set batters get out – KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal. You wonder. I don’t know whether I’m reading too much into it, whether it’s mental fatigue from the long series,” Manjrekar said on JioHotstar.
He also suggested that if this is indeed a case of diminishing mental stamina, then the team management may need to consider using players from the bench.
“These are guys who’ve got runs. These aren’t batters who will get a 50 and let the advantage go. Has that got something to do with mental stamina, the reserves that you need? They have played so well until now to drop another kind of level of commitment and grind, whether they have it in there.”
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