ENG v IND 2018: Sanjay Bangar slams Hardik Pandya and Ashwin for 'soft dismissals' in Southampton

Pandya scored 4 while Ashwin scored 1.

R Ashwin and Hardik Pandya | AP

Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar has expressed his disappointment over– Hardik Pandya and Ravichandran Ashwin’s cheap dismissal on Day 2 against England in Southampton.

England’s Moeen Ali dismissed Hardik Pandya for 4 and Ravichandran Ashwin for 1, as the English all-rounder completed a stunning 5-wicket-haul to reduce India’s chances to take a big lead in the first innings. Bangar believes that Pandya and Ashwin could have applied themselves better and helped India getting a bigger lead, as the touring side took a 27 run lead in the first innings.

As per reports in Times Now Digital, Bangar told reporters at the post-match press conference, “We thought two dismissals were pretty soft. Hardik really wasn’t on top of the ball while driving and Ashwin attempted a reverse sweep at a pretty early stage in his innings. If he was set and batting with the tail, one could have thought that shot was on.”

He also lauded Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored an unbeaten 132 when no other Indian batsman even managed to score a half-century. Bangar added, “Right from where he got in to play at Lord’s to how he batted in Nottingham and whatever he did out here, he showed a lot of composure, clarity of thought and great discipline in his judgment outside off.”

Pujara was dropped from the first Test, but he proved once again why deserves a permanent spot in the Indian Test team by hitting a ton at the Ages Bowl. Clarifying decision to drop the Saurashtra batsman in Edgbaston, Bangar said, “Birmingham is too much in the past. He was coming off a rough patch and also he hadn’t really scored as many runs as he’d have liked in the last 10-11 innings for India.”

The batting coach also revealed how Pujara worked on the areas that he needed to with the support staff before scoring a splendid century in Southampton.

Bangar signed off by saying, “He was struggling; certain areas had to be worked on. He had to get his balance right and also had to get his footwork right. Those were the two areas we worked on as a support-staff group - including Ravi (Shastri) and myself. It’s heartening the work he put in was duly rewarded.”

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 01 Sep, 2018

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