"Something Shubman Gill could incorporate into his batting"- Sanjay Manjrekar on Ollie Pope's knock in IND vs ENG 1st Test
Sanjay Manjrekar has pointed out that England's Ollie Pope altered his approach in the second innings of the ongoing Test series opener against India in Hyderabad.
The former cricketer suggested that Pope has struggled against the Indian spinners due to his over-reliance on the front foot game. He suggested that while the batter backed himself to do the same in the second innings as well, he succeeded this time around because he was looking to play run-scoring shots.
Manjrekar opined that Team India's top-order batter Shubman Gill should also consider doing the same in these conditions, given that he too is more of a front-foot player.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar said:
"There was one very important difference in the way he (Pope) played in the first as opposed to the second. He still trusted his front foot game, but if you look at the first few balls that he faced, he got onto the front foot, but it was a very purposeful reaction and effort where he was looking for ones and twos; he was looking to score. That's something Shubman Gill could incorporate into his batting because he also likes to get onto the front foot."
Ollie Pope was dismissed for just one run in the first innings of the Hyderabad Test. However, he turned things around in the second essay, notching up his fifth Test century. The 26-year-old remained unbeaten on 148 at stumps on Day 3.
"One of the finest hundreds" - Sanjay Manjrekar on Ollie Pope's batting exploits
Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Ollie Pope's century in the first Test is one of the best Test hundreds by a foreign batter on Indian soil in the recent past.
Lauding the youngster for his stunning performance on the challenging surface, the cricketer-turned-commentator added:
"I've seen Kevin Pietersen, as an English batter, get a fantastic hundred at the Wankhede Stadium. I've seen Steve Smith get a hundred for Australia in Pune. I think Ollie Pope has played one of the finest innings that we have seen in recent times from a foreign batter on a pitch like this. One of the finest hundreds that you'd see."
England gained a crucial 126-run lead at stumps on Day 3 and have a chance of setting a tough target for the Men in Blue.