The key to bouncing back from a Test defeat as crushing as the one India suffered at Headingley is to throw the counter-punch immediately, according to former head coach Ravi Shastri. Shubman Gill’s Team India were well ahead of England going into the final day of the first Test but the visitors ended up chasing a record target of 371 with five wickets and most of the third session to spare.
India hence lost the match despite centuries from Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant, with the latter hitting one in each innings, and a five-wicket haul for Jasprit Bumrah in the first England essay. “The most important thing for India is to throw the counter punch almost immediately. When you lose a Test match like this where you have dominated most of it and then you lose it on the last day with a big chase and full marks to England for keeping their composure and doing that, it will need a lot of character to come to the fore and to bounce back in the series,” Shastri told ICC Review.
While it remains to be seen whether Bumrah will play or not in the second Test, which starts on Wednesday, Shastri said that he hopes the fast bowler does as this match is very important in terms of the series. “Now, whether Bumrah plays or doesn’t play, one doesn’t know. But let’s hope he does because this is a very important Test match and all is not lost. It’s just you take it one game at a time. It’s a five-match series and India will be hoping to bounce back.” Shastri added.
The first Test at Leeds was also Gill’s maiden Test as a captain. Shastri said that while the 25-year-old made some mistakes, they were those that would be seen from a first-time captain. “People say he was a little reactive and it can happen when you’re playing your first Test match (as captain) and especially in such good batting conditions with a fast outfield and things can happen in that way. But he would have learnt a lot from that and will want to be a little more proactive when it comes now, which means the bowlers and the fielders will have to give him that support. They have got to know what their role is and get out there and execute it.” Shastri concluded.
