The newly-appointed head coach of Team India, Rahul Dravid has opened up on the team’s slow batting on Day 4 of the recently-concluded first Test in Kanpur and also it cost them a win as well.
Notably, New Zealand has survived the final day of the Kanpur Test. They lost their 9th wicket in the 90th over of the innings and the last pair of Rachin Ravindra (18* off 91 balls) and Ajaz Patel (2* off 23) faced another 8.4 overs to register a draw.
While speaking at the post-match conference, Rahul Dravid said: “That’s not my reading of the game. Half an hour before we declared, we were under pressure. All three results were possible. Wriddhiman Saha showed great courage and character to be batting with a stiff neck. (But) If we had lost our last three wickets quickly and they were chasing 240-450 with approximately 110 overs, then they are looking at 2.2 or 2.3 runs an over.”
Rahul Dravid, however, stated that India declared at the right time and once they were sure about the total, they had decided to declare as well.
He further revealed: “We needed that partnership (between Saha and Axar Patel) we got. We lost Shreyas (Iyer) just before Tea and then we had that partnership. From 167 for 7 to get to 234 for 7 was absolutely necessary. As you saw, this wicket is really flat. If it was turning square and bouncing, that would have been a different situation.”
However, Wriddhiman Saha (61*) and Axar Patel (28*) added 67 runs for the eighth wicket before Team India declared at 284. Although India did not win in the first Test at Kanpur, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin surpassed Harbhajan Singh’s tally of 417 Test wickets. Ashwin became the third-highest wicket-taker for India in the Tests as well.
Rahul Dravid Praise Ravichandran Ashwin For Overtaking Harbhajan Singh
https://youtu.be/VW8Eua7VliQ
Praising the veteran off-spinner for his achievement, Rahul Dravid said: “Harbhajan Singh was a really fine bowler, someone I played a lot of cricket with. What Ashwin’s done to go past him in just 80 Tests is a phenomenal achievement. Ashwin has been an absolute match-winner for India. Even in this Test, the way he pulled us back on that third morning with that spell of 11 overs was phenomenal. Today, just to keep us alive in the game, constantly be threatening on wickets like this, is a tribute to his skill and ability.”
“He has just evolved, he keeps growing and is one of those guys who keeps thinking about the game. That is why he has got where he has. It is a pleasure to work with him and I’m really happy for him,” Rahul Dravid concluded.
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