We still can fight back: Sridhar

Terming India’s position at the end of the opening day of the third Test as nothing new, fielding coach R Sridhar asserted the team was capable of fighting its way back as it has done in the past this home season.

“It was probably one of the better batting days in the series so far,” said Sridhar when asked if Indian bowlers could have done anything different on that wicket.

“The pitch was nice and placid. It is not as if we are in this situation for the first time this home season. We had been in the same situation maybe in Mumbai, Chennai on quite a few occasions from where we have come back and really got ourselves into the match again.

“It was a good deck and I thought there were a couple of good spells from Umesh — the one when they were around 140 for 4, he was coming in hard and getting the ball to reverse a very little bit. And there was not too much of pace on the wicket to try too many bouncers as well, the bouncer was maybe not part of the full plan, maybe the odd occasional surprise bouncer. But it is a very good batting track on day one and we will see how it unfolds tomorrow,” he explained.

Sridhar refused to think that India appeared directionless in the absence of an injured Virat Kohli. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane marshalled the troops after Kohli left the field in the 40th over.

“I thought Ajinkya did a very good job filling up for Virat,” he said. “He was very sure of his plans and Ajinkya being Ajinkya, he was taking advice from Ashwin and Ishant Sharma who are the other seniors in the team. So it was quite democratic.

“And in Virat’s absence, he kept the energy levels going. He came out and positioned himself in the outfield, made sure he is communicating well with the bowler and he took the inputs from the senior players.”
DH News Service