New Delhi ,In the aftermath of India’s unexpected defeat to England in the series opener, batting coach Vikram Rathour addressed concerns surrounding the form of young batters Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer in the pre-match press conference for the upcoming second Test.
Despite India entering the first Test as clear favorites and gaining a substantial lead, England’s remarkable comeback, led by Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley, turned the tide in their favor. As critics raised questions about the performances of Gill and Iyer, Rathour advocated for patience with the relatively inexperienced Test players.
“There are young batters in our team who have not played much Test cricket. So, we need to be a bit patient with them. Batters like (Shubman) Gill, (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, and (Shreyas) Iyer will eventually start getting big runs, I’m sure of it,” stated Rathour, defending the talented duo.
Premier batter Shubman Gill faced scrutiny for his scores in the single digits in both innings of the first Test, while Shreyas Iyer, though showing promise, couldn’t convert his starts into substantial scores.
Rathour emphasized the distinction between playing with intent and playing attacking cricket. He stressed the importance of intelligent decision-making based on the playing surface and prevailing conditions. Encouraging the batsmen to back their strengths, Rathour urged them to make strategic shot selections.
“In the upcoming Test, they need to decide and come up with their plans. But, they need to score runs by playing their shots, as you need to back your strengths. Batting is always about scoring runs. It’s not about not getting out but how many runs you put on the board,” Rathour added.
With India missing key players Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja in the second Test, Rathour’s guidance becomes crucial for the team’s resurgence. The coach acknowledged that there could be room for more discipline in the batsmen’s approach but stressed the importance of playing with intent.
The cricketing world awaits to see how Gill and Iyer respond in the upcoming Test, as India seeks redemption after a surprising setback in the series opener.
