India’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, revealed his team’s strategy with the ball for tomorrow, stating that the hosts will look to take early wickets on Day Four in the first Test in Hyderabad against England.
Instead of worrying about a specific target to chase in the fourth innings, Mhambrey underlined the importance of limiting England’s second innings total after they took a lead of 126 runs in the second innings.
“We are not looking at any particular target (to chase), as I said the objective is to come tomorrow morning and get early wickets and limit their total. We are not putting any pressure on ourselves by setting any target. We just want to bowl in the right areas to extract turn and bounce from the wicket,” Mhambrey said at the post-day presser.
He acknowledged that the Hyderabad pitch has become relatively easier to bat on in the last two days, with a notable change in its behavior. Mhambrey pointed out that while there would be some turn, it won’t be as challenging as the sharp turn seen on traditional Indian pitches.
“I think it is going to get a bit better on the slower side (tomorrow). There will be some turn but it is not the usual turn you see in the Indian sub-continental wickets, the sharp turn when the game progresses. There is a little turn but not as challenging,” he noted.
Despite losing wickets, England batters, especially Ollie Pope in the second innings, maintained an aggressive approach. Mhambrey commended the visitors’ bravery in facing Indian bowlers in alien conditions.
“We were expecting them to come here with that aggression and play those kinds of shots. But credit goes to them for playing those shots, and some of the shots Pope played were very brave. Playing those shots consistently can put the opposition under pressure. It does happen, as the batsmen start to access different areas. It is going to be a challenge,” Mhambrey explained.
England fought back well on Day Three, finishing at 316 for six with a lead of 126 after starting the day under serious pressure. Pope played a remarkable innings, scoring 148 runs out of the 316, holding one end as wickets fell at the other.
England great Joe Root praised Pope’s innings as one of the best he has ever seen.
“I’m speechless really…it is one of the best knocks I have ever seen,” said Root at the press conference.
‘‘I have seen a lot of cricket. I have played and batted out there in the middle with a lot of brilliant players and to witness that was really special. There’s a lot of people in our dressing room that have seen and played a lot of cricket that are of the same mind as I am,” Root observed.
With a lead of 126, England aim to add more runs on Day Four to increase the pressure on their opponents. Root is optimistic about the team’s performance in challenging conditions, regardless of the game’s outcome, emphasising the positive markers they have laid down in this Test.
“Regardless of what happens for the rest of the game, I think we have laid down some good markers and shown that we have got the tools and skills to really compete in these conditions. Dream the dream. We will go to bed and think of what could be tomorrow, then throw everything at the day.”