"It's okay" - India’s fielding coach opens up on dropped catches in Australia
Fielding coach R Sridhar has opened up on India's catching struggles in Australia.
While admitting India dropped catches at crucial times, he urged fans and pundits to cut the players some slack and focus on the ones they took instead.
India’s catching was heavily criticised despite their successful Australia tour. The team dropped more than 20 catches across the 10 matches. Everyone from Virat Kohli to Jasprit Bumrah failed to hang onto their chances.
In an interview with Cricketnext, R Sridhar conceded that despite India’s dropped chances this tour, the players and staff are preparing correctly off the field.
“Yes, we did drop catches at crucial times. There is no excuse for it. But the right processes are going on. You don't have to criticise people, you cut them some slack. You take 44 catches, you drop 8 catches, it's okay.”
Although India won the Test series 2-1, dropped chances throughout the four Tests hurt them at various points.
R Sridhar took time out to explain why the players dropped some of the catches. He put them down to external factors rather than a lack of focus on fielding by Indian players.
The fielding coach discussed Jasprit Bumrah’s dropped catch at Adelaide, which handed Marnus Labuschagne a lifeline.
The fast bowler dropped a routine catch, misjudging his position on the boundary rope.
R Sridhar explained that the difference between fielding with red and white balls was why Bumrah dropped the catch on that occasion.
“Unfortunately, the IPL hangover was still there. Not only IPL, he had played 17 matches in IPL and then played limited-overs matches in Australia too. His subconscious mind had palmed the ball inside the rope due to the white ball hangover.”
India’s R Sridhar asks fans to understand nuances while judging fielding
The fielding coach also shed light on what Ajinkya Rahane said to him after the skipper dropped Marnus Labuschagne at gully in Brisbane.
R Sridhar also conceded that there are times he can’t do much when players drop catches.
“Ajinkya said 'sir I couldn't even see the ball. By the time I saw it, it was hitting my hand and I just had to react and had no time'. What can I go and tell him?”
Another player on the 'drop' list was Mayank Agarwal, who Sridhar called the hardest worker in the team in terms of fielding.
The batsman failed to hang onto Tim Paine’s catch in the 1st Test in Adelaide, and R Sridhar disclosed how the time, and not the India player’s effort was to blame.
“It was dusk time, it was the pink ball. Paine played a hook shot off the fast Bumrah. It was just not a good sighting time - that particular time. He's someone every coach would love to have. But he dropped a catch. You can't fault his preparation; he works the hardest in the team.”
The India coach appealed to fans to focus on the good work done by the team this tour.
From Rohit Sharma’s fielding record in Brisbane to Ravindra Jadeja’s electric performances, R Sridhar asked fans to not let the dropped catches overshadow what was an impactful Indian performance.