Hyderabad Test pitch branded ‘horrific’ by England star Ben Foakes© BCCI/Sportzpics
English wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes on Tuesday recalled the pitch during the first Test match against India in Hyderabad and said that it was ‘horrific”. While speaking ahead of the second Test match in Visakhapatnam, Foakes said that the visitors are more positive and looking forward to putting the Indian bowlers under pressure. “Going into that, I was thinking, ‘These are horrific wickets – I just need to find a way to stay in’ I think now the group is more, if that’s the situation, you’ve got to be positive; got to put it [pressure] back on the bowler and put them under pressure,” Foakes was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
He added that the English batters still have the fear of getting out which kept in their shells.
“Before, there was more of a fear of getting out and that put us in our shells. Whereas now it’s not worrying that you are getting out and accepting that you probably are on those sort of surfaces. But how can you actually go and dominate at times as well?” he added.
Both England and India have arrived in Visakhapatnam ahead of the second Test which will begin on Friday.
Recapping the first Test match, India will be keen for redemption after going 1-0 down in the series. The hosts were in complete control of the Test and dominated the visitors. But on Day 3, Ollie Pope stepped onto the crease and changed the entire complexion of the game with his reverse sweeps.
He not only brushed off India’s 190-run lead but went on to hand England a target that could be defended on a tricky surface with his knock of 196.
Debutant Tom Hartley introduced himself and spun India’s batters out with his spell of 7/62. He ended the Test with 9/193 which is the best figure for an England spinner on Test debut since 1945.
His nine wickets tally in the first Test in a match is the joint-most since former English spinner Robert Berry’s 9/116 against West Indies in Manchester in 1950.
Hartley also became just the fourth England spinner to claim a five-wicket haul on Test debut in this century.
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