"Konsa nasha fokte ho Bhai.. hame bhi hona"- Fans roast England spin-bowling coach after he praised his bowlers following poor show on Day 2 vs India
England spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel faced the wrath of several fans online following his comments about his side's performance on Day 2 of the first Test against India in Hyderabad. Team India dominated proceedings on both days and led by 175 runs at stumps on the second day.
The English team batted first and were bundled out for 246 on the opening day. India then responded well by reaching 421/7 in 110 overs. Ravindra Jadeja (80*) and Axar Patel (35*) are still at the crease and will aim to extend the lead on Day 3.
After the Indian spin trio picked up eight wickets on Thursday, many expected the opposition spinners to have a field day with the ball as well. However, the inexperienced England spinners struggled with their consistency and lengths, which helped India take a sizeable lead.
Part-timer Joe Root (2/77) was the most effective bowler for the visitors on a tiring day. Tom Hartley (2/131) and Rehan Ahmed (1/105) conceded too many runs without much reward.
Speaking to Sky Sports after stumps on Friday, England's spin bowling coach, Jeetan Patel, praised his bowlers and opined that they did a great job. He also stated that a spectator who doesn't know the score would have thought England were dominating the game. Patel said:
"It was a tough day for us. The guys put in a fantastic effort. If you walked into the ground without knowing the score, you'd think England were right on the top of the game."
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) took note of Jeetan Patel's comments and trolled him as his words suggested that the English team performed better than India. Here are some of their reactions:
"Jack Leach bumped his knee yesterday and he bumped it again today" - Jeetan Patel on reason behind England's lead spinner bowling short spells on Day 2
England's senior spinner Jack Leach was expected to shoulder the burden and do the heavy lifting for his side in the first Test against India.
However, he was used sparingly and in short bursts during the first two days by captain Ben Stokes, which confused many pundits and fans. Jeetan Patel clarified the matter by revealing that Leach was carrying a niggle he picked up while fielding, which has prevented him from bowling longer spells. Patel said:
"Jack Leach bumped his knee yesterday and he bumped it again today. He would have been our guy to bowl all those overs. It's a shame for him as he was not able to move as good as he could have. He actually bowled really well considering."
Can Ben Stokes' side make a comeback on Day 3? Let us know your views in the comments section.