Former England opener Geoff Boycott has said that India captain Rohit Sharma is past his best and criticized the host team’s batting approach in the first Test of the five-match series against England at home.
India started the first Test in Hyderabad well, gaining a 190-run lead after batting second and posting 426 in their first innings. However, England turned around the deficit into a 230-run lead with Ollie Pope leading the way with 196.
Then chasing the 231-run target, India's batters suffered from indecision in stroke-making and rotating the strike. Tom Hartley shined with 7/62 in Test debut as India folded for 202 runs and lost by 28 runs. England now has a lead of 1-0 in the five-Test series.
Captain Rohit Sharma failed to step up with the bat, he made e 24 off 27 in a rapid start for India in the first innings and then scored 39 runs in the second innings chasing of 231-run target.
Rohit Sharma has hit only 2 hundred in his last 12 Tests across 3 years, but the India captain has managed to chip in with crucial contributions to the side.
"India badly misses Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja has a hamstring injury and will not play the second Test. Their captain Rohit Sharma is nearly 37 and past his best. He makes pretty cameos but has scored only two Test hundreds at home in four years," Geoffrey Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph.
The legendary England cricketer also said England has a golden opportunity to win a Test series in India, highlighting the weakened Indian side for the 2nd Test in Visakhapatnam. He added that England will be high on confidence, urging Ben Stokes and his men to push for the big win and take a 2-0 lead.
Virat Kohli is not available for the second Test, while India lost Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul to their respective injuries.
"Jadeja is a huge blow. He is a great all-rounder, top bowler, brilliant fielder, and was their best batsman in the first Test. Kohli is their talisman. He is a magnificent batsman who averages 60 on Indian pitches but he also gives them great energy in the field. He is a big loss and England must make the most of it before he comes back for the third Test," Boycott said.
"Once in a while a team is in the right place at the right time to clinch a big series win and England could be in that position right now in India. India is due a defeat at home, the signs are good as they have lost Kohli, Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, and Rishabh Pant and are playing opponents full of confidence after a remarkable win. England must take this rare opportunity," he added.
India are likely to hand a debut to Rajat Patidar or Sarfaraz Khan as they are short of middle-order options. It remains to be seen which spinner India plays in place of Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, or Washington Sundar.
(The Telegraph inputs)
