Manjrekar also named India's two "massive disappoints" of the first Test.
Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar said “losing toss can’t be held as an excuse” for the team’s massive 227-run loss to England in the first Test in Chennai on Tuesday (February 9) while pointing out there were times when “MS Dhoni was often losing tosses but winning matches”.
On Tuesday, India suffered its first defeat in over 17 Tests at home as England took a 1-0 lead with their six straight overseas victory in the ongoing four-match Test series against Team India.
The hosts were failed to built pressure in England in the first innings and they ended up scoring 578 in the first innings, and then Indian batsmen were expected to post challenging the score in their first innings but they cheaply lost the wickets and could score only 337 and then bowled out for 192 while chasing mammoth 420 runs against England.
While many believed the home captain Virat Kohli losing the toss could have played a role in India's defeat, Manjrekar said it can’t be an excuse while claiming it was the forgettable outing of Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Nadeem that played a major role in the hosts’ crushing defeat against England.
Ashwin scalped nine wickets in the first Test – 3/146 in the first innings and 6/61 in the second and Nadeem grabbed 4 wickets 2 in each innings while Sundar went wicketless in Chennai.
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Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo: “When you look at some aspects, it's pretty obvious to see where India has lacked and where India lost the winning advantage.
It started with the toss, which was important, but India have lost tosses before and there was a time when Dhoni kept losing tosses but winning matches. So that cannot be held as an excuse.”
He signed off by saying, “Let's talk about Indian spin. India played three spinners. You had R Ashwin, who bowled like Ashwin does but Shahbaz Nadeem was a massive disappointment. He was expected to be that Jadeja kind of a bowler... accurate and quick in the air on a turning pitch.
He looked a little under confident. Washington Sundar a little disappointing after his showing in Australia so when you look at the attack, it wasn't the usual Indian spin attack at home.”