Dravid reveals.”We left 70-80 runs back in the hut in first innings”

The current head coach of India, Rahul Dravid, expressed regret over the fact that India was unable to score more runs in the first innings of the Hyderabad Test match, which India ultimately lost to England by a score of 28 runs. In their first innings, India scored 436 runs and even gained a lead of 190 runs; however, they ultimately lost the match because England set them a goal of 231 runs on a wicket that was difficult to play on.

“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,” Dravid stated in a news conference after the conclusion of the match following the conclusion of the game.

There were three batters from India who were dismissed in the eighties, and there were also three more hitters who were dismissed after earning starts in that innings. They were still able to increase their lead after some contributions from the lower-order players, which allowed them to manage a significant lead before Ollie Pope scored a remarkable 196 to pull the game back into their favor.

In addition, Dravid was very complimentary of Pope for the actions that he executed.

“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 said.

Dravid acknowledged that England and Pope’s style of play, which consisted of sweeps and reverse sweeps to distract the spinners, will make India to reevaluate their strategies for the remaining matches in the series.

“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,” said Dravid.

A seven-wicket haul was taken by left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who was making his debut in the game. India’s attempt to chase down 231 on the fourth day of the match was unsuccessful when they lost seven wickets for 119. In the future, Dravid intimated that the reconsideration might also apply to some of the batting plans that are being taken into consideration.

“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,” he said.