Former India coach Ravi Shastri has urged the Indian cricket team to respond with aggression and positivity in the second Test against England, following their defeat in the series opener. India lost the first Test at Headingley by five wickets, despite dominating significant portions of the match. The second Test will be held in Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 2nd, and is a crucial opportunity for India to level the five-match series.
Shastri emphasized the importance of India immediately putting England on the back foot. Speaking to The ICC Review, he said that the most important thing for India is to "throw the counter punch almost immediately". He acknowledged England's composure in their successful chase in the first Test but stressed the need for the Indian team to display character and bounce back. "When you lose a Test match like this where you have dominated most of it and then you lose it on the last day with a big chase and full marks to England for keeping their composure and doing that, it will need a lot of character to come to the fore and to bounce back in the series," Shastri stated.
Shastri downplayed concerns about team selection, including the potential inclusion of a second spinner alongside Ravindra Jadeja and the management of Jasprit Bumrah's workload. He is hoping Bumrah will play, acknowledging how important the Test match is, but is more focused on the team playing with a positive mindset and intent. "Now, whether Bumrah plays or doesn't play, one doesn't know. But let's hope he does because this is a very important Test match and all is not lost". He further added, "It's just you take it one game at a time. It's a five-match series and India will be hoping to bounce back".
Shastri also expressed his confidence in Shubman Gill, who is captaining India in Tests for the first time. He believes Gill will have learned valuable lessons from the first Test and expects him to be more proactive as the series progresses. Shastri noted that Gill may have been थोड़ा reactive in his first outing as captain, which can happen, but with the conditions and a fast outfield, things can change quickly. He added that it's crucial for the bowlers and fielders to back their captain by executing their roles with precision. Shastri has backed Gill to deliver as a captain and wants the BCCI to support him for the next three years, regardless of the results. He also said that Gill has shown great maturity in handling the media.
Gill himself admitted that India missed opportunities in the first Test, citing dropped catches and a lack of contribution from the lower order as key factors in their defeat. He acknowledged the batting collapse in the first innings and emphasized the need to rectify these mistakes.
