IND vs ENG: "We left probably 70 runs on the board in the first innings" - Rahul Dravid after India's defeat to England

Rahul Dravid, the Team India head coach, rued the fact that the host couldn’t get more in the first innings of the Hyderabad Test which India lost by 28 runs to England. India scored 436 in their first innings and they had a lead of 190 runs but ended up losing as England set them a target of 231 on a tough surface as well.

“I mean, [the pitch was] challenging today, and I wouldn’t be so harsh to judge them [batters] on today. In fact, if anything, I thought we left probably 70 runs on the board in the first innings when conditions were pretty good to bat in on day two. I thought in those kinds of situations, we got ourselves into some good starts and we didn’t really capitalise. We didn’t get 100, we didn’t get somebody getting a really big 100 for us. So in some ways I think I just felt we left those 70-80 runs back in the hut in the first innings,” said Rahul Dravid in a press conference at the end of the match.

However, three Team India batters got out in the eighties and three others fell after getting starts in that innings as well. They still managed to have a good lead after some contributions from the lower-order as well before Ollie Pope smashed a stunning 196 to turn the table. And, Rahul Dravid was also high on praise for Pope as well.

“We probably shouldn’t have been chasing 232. Truly exceptional innings to get us to chase that amount of runs. Yeah, so I think that, to me, that [Pope’s innings] really was the difference in the game. I think that’s something that set us back he played a lot of high-risk shots but executed them superbly. And that’s incredible, on a wicket like that 196 when nobody else got 50 was a difference in the game,” he again said.

Rahul Dravid also added that England, and Pope’s, style of play which was filled with sweeps and reverse-sweeps put the spinners under pressure that would force India to rethink their plans for the rest of the series as well.

SEE ALSO: “I am seeing Rishabh Pant there” – Ravichandran Ashwin applauds Yashasvi Jaiswal

“I haven’t seen a better exhibition of sweeping and reverse sweeping in these conditions against that quality of bowling. Having said that, for us now, it’s important that we respond and we come up with some plans and some strategies and see how we can maybe make him play those shots from probably even more difficult lengths. And be even more disciplined and even more meticulous with our execution. Because I thought a little bit our execution went off, not by much. Credit to him. It [execution] was off a little bit, and hopefully in the next test match if we get our execution right, then I hope he [Pope] makes a mistake,” further added Rahul Dravid.

However, Team India had to chase down 231 on the fourth day and they lost seven for 119, with debutant left-arm spinner Tom Hartley picking up a seven-wicket haul as well. Dravid also hinted that the rethink could see some change to some of the batting plans as well. 

“I think using your feet to the left-hand spinner with these kinds of conditions is fraught with risk, probably have to play a little bit more square of the wicket. Having said that, that [also] is a high-risk shot as well. And you know, I thought Ollie Pope did that loosely. I mean, he did play a lot of high-risk shots. And then it came off. But that’s where I think probably in the first innings we could have capitalised a little bit more. I don’t see it as a huge issue. I think when you have a turning track and you have good left-hand spinner who’s able to pitch it in line with the stumps in just sort of in a difficult area it is going to be a challenge. But yeah, I think as the series goes on, I think it’s going to be something that we’re going to have to counter and get better at and develop some plans and strategies around,” Rahul Dravid concluded.