NEW DELHI: Former India coach Anil Kumble expressed disappointment with
Team India
's performance in the first Test against England, describing it as "pretty ordinary." Kumble observed that the Rohit Sharma-led side missed an opportunity to play more aggressively and positively in their second innings in Hyderabad.
Despite holding a substantial 190-run lead in the first innings, England's Ollie Pope, particularly with his reverse sweeps on Day 3, shifted the momentum of the game.
Pope not only nullified India's lead but also contributed to England setting a challenging fourth-innings target of 231. India, in response, was dismissed for 202 at the stroke of stumps on Day 4.
Tom Hartley's spin played a crucial role in England's 28-run victory in the opening Test.
Speaking on JioCinema, Kumble said England were "brilliant over the last two days". "India were pretty ordinary. In the field, you could see that heads were dropping down while fielding. But credit to England, the way they batted, the way they came and bowled," Kumble said.
Kumble also referred to the turning point of the match from India's point of view. "India could certainly have been more positive in their batting approach in the second innings. Once
Rohit Sharma
got out and
Ravindra Jadeja
was run out, the course of the match changed," he added.
The former India coach praised the way Hartley made a fine comeback against India in the second innings.
Hartley spun India's batters out, bagging an impressive figure of 7/62 and concluding the Test with a total of 9/193. He had a clear approach in the second innings after struggling with 2/131 in the first. He dismissed India's top order, which included Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill.
"I mean Tom Hartley, debutant, first ball hit for a six and then the first five overs he was going at about seven runs an over. To come back and bat really well, take two wickets in the first innings, and seven in the second and win the match for England was absolutely fantastic. England have done exceptionally well," Kumble said.
India will look to bounce back in the second Test starting February 2 in Visakhapatnam to equalise in the five-match series.
(With inputs from ANI)
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