Manchester, Jul 24 (PTI) India’s young batting line-up made a strong statement on the opening day of the fourth Test in typical English conditions, proving they don’t just score runs on flat pitches or against depleted attacks, feels former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar.
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (58) and KL Rahul (46) gave India a solid start, before Sai Sudharsan (61) and Rishabh Pant, who retired hurt on 37, stitched together a 72-run stand to take the visitors to 264 for 4 at stumps.
“For those skeptics who believe this young Indian batting line-up only gets runs on flat pitches or against weakened attacks, today was a statement,” Manjrekar said on Jio Hotstar.
“These were typical English conditions with a much-improved bowling attack — Stokes bowled more overs, Liam Dawson was an upgrade over Shoaib Bashir, and Archer added edge to the line-up.
“For India to finish at 264/4 under those conditions — that’s another solid batting display. Thankfully, Rishabh Pant managed to get some bat on the ball before retiring hurt. Hopefully, he’ll return to bat on Day 2,” he added.
Sudharsan, playing only his second Test, struck a maiden half-century after returning to the XI, having missed the second and third matches of the series.
“He looked nervous at the start, which is natural after being dropped post the first Test. That kind of omission can affect confidence. But he grew into his innings,” Manjrekar said.
“He looked nervous to begin with, which was expected after being dropped post the first Test. That kind of omission dents your confidence. But as the innings progressed, his composure returned.
“He has an organised game, and even though he’s made his mark in T20s, the way he scores reflects the fundamentals you need in Tests. These were tough conditions to bat at No. 3 after being asked to bat first.
“He got some hard-earned runs, and more importantly, he seems like someone who won’t get carried away by one good outing — a grounded, academic type who prepares diligently. That’s the kind of player who builds a long Test career.” Earlier, Jaiswal and Rahul had taken India to 93 without loss, laying a firm foundation.
“The morning session clearly went in India’s favour. They carried their form with excellent defensive technique and strong minds. India have always struggled to find a consistent opening pair in overseas conditions, but they now seem to have one.
“A left-right combination that scores hundreds and looks dependable — that’s rare. You can expect consistency from this pair, and that’s significant.” Meanwhile, former England batter Jonathan Trott felt the new ball on Day 2 could determine the course of the match.
“I think England laid the groundwork, but the real test will be with the new ball on Day 2. If it doesn’t behave the way they hope, they might regret the decision to bowl first.
“Batting last at Old Trafford rarely gets easier. That said, we’ve had 16 days of fantastic cricket, and we’re still no closer to knowing who the better side is. That’s the beauty of this series,” he added. PTI APA PM APA PM PM
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