Team India was bowled out for a shocking 78 on the opening day of the third Test at Headingley, Leeds after opting to bat first. Barring Rohit Sharma (19) and Ajinkya Rahane (18), none of the Indian batsmen crossed double figures.
Skipper Virat Kohli managed to score only seven runs before being caught behind trying to chase a wide ball outside off-stump bowled by James Anderson
England cemented their advantage by ending day one on 120/0 with openers Haseeb Hameed and Rory burns getting unbeaten half-centuries.
Former India player Madan Lal was disappointed with India’s horrific performance with the bat and said that Kohli gambled by batting first. He added that the middle order had to step up and score runs.
"If you look at the condition of Leeds, history says you lose quick wickets in the morning session. Virat, maybe, took a chance because England didn’t score too many runs in the last Test, and you cannot say you lose the match because of the toss, you didn't bat well at the same time. Your middle order is not getting runs because the main batsman, Virat, is not getting runs and we expect him to get runs," Madan Lal told IANS before day 2 of the ongoing Test.
He added that it would have been wiser to bowl first as conditions suited pacers in the opening session.
"I think England bowled really well. There are still four days left in the game. In Leeds, what captains mostly do in these types of conditions is that when they win the toss, they opt to bowl first because in such wickets the ball swings a lot at the beginning," he said.
The former player added that there are four days left in the match and Indian batsmen still had a chance to make comeback.
"And maybe you can say they have misread the conditions and other things, but there are four days left and at the end of the day middle order has to take responsibility to score runs if you want to win this series," he added.
(With IANS inputs)
