"While Jaiswal's there, India will have designs on a score of 400, 450" - Michael Atherton after day 1 of Vizag Test
Former England captain Michael Atherton reckons India will still have 400-450 in their sights until Yashasvi Jaiswal remains at the crease in the second Test in Vishakhapatnam. However, the former opener also feels it's a score the tourists will back themselves to overhaul.
While Yashasvi Jaiswal stood tall on day 1 in Vishakhapatnam with his unbeaten 179, the remaining batters failed to make their starts count. The left-handed batter's pristine hundred led India to a formidable 336-6 in 93 overs and will back themselves to bat as long as possible to put England under pressure.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Atherton reflected that the surface in Vizag is not as tricky as in Hyderabad. The 55-year-old also believes Ollie Pope's method in the previous Test should give England directions on how to tackle the Indian spinners. Atherton said:
"While Jaiswal's there, India will have designs on a score of 400, 450. That's never a bad first-innings score, but it's not the kind of one that will frighten England. You always look at conditions and wonder how things will go."
"It's certainly less of a troubling pitch than it was in Hyderabad in that first innings. England's batters, having taken confidence from the way Ollie Pope and the others played [in the first Test], will be pretty confident of getting a score themselves."
Jaiswal shared three half-century partnerships with Shreyas Iyer, Rajat Patidar, and Axar Patel, but they were guilty of not converting their starts. The southpaw reached his hundred in the 49th over with a six over long-on.
"You'll see England playing aggressively" - Michael Atherton
Atherton also predicts the tourists to come out with an attacking approach, but thinks early wickets on day 2 will be vital to restrict India to as low a score as possible. He added:
"You'll see England playing aggressively because that's they're committed to playing that way and quite differently from the way India play. It's a good contrast in styles really between India's top six and England's. They want to get early wickets tomorrow morning. Get Jaiswal out if they can, get among the wickets and get batting because day two, day three, I'm sure the pitch will still be fine."
For England, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed finished with two wickets each. The tourists hold a 1-0 lead after winning in Hyderabad by 28 runs despite trailing by 190 runs after the first innings.