Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma© AFP
Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma delivered a blunt verdict on his team’s defeat against England in the first Test match in Hyderabad on Sunday. India dominated major parts of the match but a brilliant knock from Ollie Pope and a seven-wicket haul from Tom Hartley clinched a massively significant victory for the visitors. When asked about the places where India lacked against England, Rohit said that they failed as a team and the batting was not good enough in the fourth innings to register a victory.
“Hard to pinpoint where it went wrong. Having got a lead of 190, we thought we were very much in the batting. Exceptional batting, one of the best I have seen in Indian conditions by an overseas batter. We bowled in the right areas. The bowlers executed the plans really well, you got to take your hat to Pope and say well played. Overall, we failed as a team. We didn’t bat well enough. I wanted them to take the game to the fifth day. The lower order fought really well there. You need to be brave enough, which I thought we weren’t,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
England defeated India by 28 runs in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Set a target of 231, India were all out for 202 in 69.2 overs on the fourth day of the series opener.
Hosts India were 95 for three at tea.
Debutant spinner Tom Hartley (7/62) was the most successful bowler for England in India’s second innings, finishing with one of the best figures by an overseas bowler playing in his first match in India.
In the morning session, India bowled out England for 420 in their second innings riding on Ollie Pope’s epic 196.
(With PTI inputs)
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