England team depart for Abu Dhabi for a break following the end of 2nd IND vs ENG TestÂ
Ben Stokes-led England's red-ball team is set to spend the 10-day break between the second and third Test against India, with a getaway to Abu Dhabi, where they had conducted their pre-season preparatory camp as well. The visitors lost the second Test in Vishakapatnam by 106 runs, allowing India to level the series 1-1, with three Tests remaining in the series.
Abu Dhabi is often a common destination for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to send their Lions squad or even the main team as well for subcontinent series preparation. The warm weather as well as the conditions augur well for the team's objectives, and the primary focus, apart from the break following the two Tests, will be the planning for the second half of the series.
England had arrived in India only three days before the opening Test in Hyderabad, a move which did not go down well among the pundits. The Ben Stokes-led side did silence the critics with a historic win to claim a 1-0 lead but face a tall task to survive the Indian onslaught from the third Test onwards.
According to a report by the Times of India, the squad is expected to regroup in India ahead of the third Test, scheduled to take place in Rajkot from February 15 onwards.
"We had full belief in ourselves that we'll chase it down" - England skipper Ben Stokes on the team's loss in Vishakapatnam
England were ousted by Yashasvi Jaiswal, with the bat, and Jasprit Bumrah, with the ball, to finish well short of the target set by Team India. The visitors had a say in the game in the fourth innings, despite the mammoth score being deemed out of reach.
Zak Crawley's fifty helped the chasing side make their case initially, but it all fell downhill once India started making timely breakthroughs. The hosts wrapped up the proceedings on Day 4 with a session to spare and claimed the crucial win.
Despite the loss, England skipper Ben Stokes defended the manner with which the team went about the run chase in the fourth innings. The visitors had a serious go at the target, scoring at over four runs an over, but untimely dismissals, including the skipper's runout, dragged them back.
"Coming into this last innings, had full belief in ourselves that we'll chase it down. In moments like that, in games with scoreboard pressure, that's where we get the best out of ourselves. Another great game to be a part of. There's no suggestion whatsoever about how to play. Everyone in the dressing room is a quality player. They are good enough to go out there and assess the conditions, and decide how to go about it," Stokes said during the post-match presentation
England are unlikely to shed their aggressive approach in the remaining Tests, especially as it has helped them go toe-to-toe with the Indian team so far.
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