"How can experienced Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri make such a huge blunder?" - Maninder Singh blasts India for batting first
Maninder Singh has lashed out at Team India skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri for their "huge blunder" in choosing to bat first at Headingley. The former Indian spinner expressed shock that Shastri, despite being aware of the conditions and his team's batting form, didn't urge the captain to do otherwise.
Virat Kohli, who won his first toss in England as captain, was out for just seven in the first innings as India crumbled to a mere 78-run total. England's pacers made full use of the spice and extra bounce of the fresh pitch, and lured the Indians into making rookie errors.
Speaking on the subject during an interaction with ESPNcricinfo, Maninder Singh said:
"Stuart Broad tweeted about this too that the ball only seams around for the first four hours and that's the best time to bowl. I also believe that you should bat first after winning the toss but you should look at the conditions as well. And when you saw the overcast conditions, you should have changed the decision you perhaps took last night."
He added:
"The issue I have is how Virat Kohli, who is so experienced and then Ravi Shastri, who played and won at this ground in 1986, played so much county cricket, made such a huge blunder? That, too, after knowing that neither he (Virat Kohli) himself nor Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are in good form... that's why I believed they should have bowled first after winning the toss."
When it was the hosts' turn to bat, they got a more settled surface and sun shining overhead. Indiscipline from Ishant Sharma, who bowled two no-balls upfront, and a few dropped chances didn't help India's case either.
The tentative opening combination of Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed went on to put 120 runs on the board by the end of the day's play, giving England a 42-run lead.
There will be a big team meeting today, and the attiude of the Indian players will be different - Maninder Singh
Maninder Singh exuded belief that "tough taskmaster" Shastri will hold a big team meeting and the team will come out with improved body language on Thursday.
The former Indian spinner also expressed hope that India will bounce back from the position, like they have done many times in the past year, and bundle out Joe Root and co. before Tea.
Maninder Singh explained:
"You will see the change (in body language) now. Ravi Shastri is a very tough taskmaster, he has played tough cricket... there will be a big team meeting today and the attitude they'll have then will be different. The best possible thing would be to get England out by Tea so as to avoid a match-winning lead."
He added:
"India still have the chance to come back, I feel both teams always have a chance until the Test match is over... whenever they have their backs against the wall they have come back stronger. I'll hope they'll do that here as well."
Day 2 of the third Test will kickstart at 3:30 PM IST at Headingley.