England assistant coach Jeetan Patel assured that England batsmen’s fitness wasn’t a concern after their three quick dismissals, but the 150+ overs spent fielding had taken a bit of a toll on their top order.
Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope went for ducks, Zack Crawley made 19.
Patel, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra credited the Indian bowlers, but added that anyone was bound to be knackered after a day and 3/4th almost spent fielding with Shubman Gill in his pomp. “The new ball tonight did a little bit and we got it to go as well, so it feels like a little bit of the new ball working at the moment but the boys put in some graft and 150 overs in the dirt takes a lot out of people,” he told BBC Radio 5.
Rufus Bullough, CricViz analyst, was quoted as saying that the last session on Day 2 had more swing than in any other of the match so far. “India have found 1.1° of swing in with their new ball, nearly double what England found in the first hour with either of theirs previously,” CricViz wrote.
However, Patel was bombarded with questions on reconsideration of the toss decision with Ben Stokes opting to bowl, and allowing India – with 5 centuries in last Test – to launch the scoreboard pressure.
Reflecting on the toss to BBC, he said, “We won’t (regret). I don’t think you reflect on what’s happened. Hindsight’s hindsight. We decided to bowl and we’ll stick by that. On the first day it showed enough for us and we created a lot of opportunities and it didn’t go our way. The day might’ve looked different yesterday and this morning if we got those decisions,” he maintained.
Just like the first Test, where Stokes’ decision was questioned till England turned it around, Patel said the thinking in the hone dressing room wasn’t particularly fussed. “People are going to look at any scorecard and make a decision on what they’re going to think. I’m not really fussed and I don’t think any of us are fussed about what’s said outside of the group.”
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However he did concede that the prolonged stay on the field as England laboured to get 10 Indian wickets, and Gill, alongside Jaiswal, Jadeja and Washington pummeled them, did impact their batsmen when they came out to bat. Asked about the group’s fitness, Patel said, “The fitness is alright, the boys are just tired. It’s taken a lot out of the boys. It was a longer spell than I thought Brooky [Harry Brook] would’ve bowled.”
