Ahead of the second Test match against England, former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has urged the visitors to stay positive as they look to level the series in Birmingham.
“The most important thing for India is to throw the counter punch almost immediately,” Shastri told The ICC Review.
Further, he stated that despite dominating the first match, India suffered a loss, and it will need a lot of character to bounce back in the ongoing series.
“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,” he said.
The question still lingers around lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah`s feature in the second Test match. He was previously advised not to feature in the consecutive Test matches due to his workload management.
Speaking on Bumrah, Shastri said this is a very important match and hopes the pacer to make his appearance.
“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,” said the veteran of 80 Test matches.
“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,” he added.
Shastri believes newly appointed skipper Shubman Gill will have learnt plenty from India`s loss in the series opener and expects the young leader to be more proactive for the remainder of the series.
“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,” said the 63-year-old.
“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,” he noted.
“They have got to know what their role is and get out there and execute it,” he said.
(With ANI Inputs)
