Batting coach Rathore gave a statement before the clash against Australia, said- playing Bangladesh series is a good experience for the team
Mirpur. Batting coach Vikram Rathour feels the ongoing two-Test series against Bangladesh is “perfect” for preparing the Indian batsmen ahead of the series against Australia on similar “turning pitches” at home. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav produced a brilliant all-round performance as India beat Bangladesh by 188 runs on a difficult pitch in Chittagong to take a 1-0 series lead.
Second-placed India in the World Test Championship will be eyeing a clean sweep in Bangladesh before taking on top-ranked Australia in the four-Test series starting February 9 in Nagpur. “In the sub-continent, you expect wickets to turn and after that we have an important series against Australia which is also expected to turn wickets,” Rathour said here on the eve of the second and final Test. So it is a good exercise for us, he said. It will be a good preparation for the Indian batsmen. We are not discussing anything technically but ready to play good cricket.
In the Chittagong Test, young opener Shubman Gill scored his maiden hundred in the longest format while reliable number three batsman Cheteshwar Pujara also ended his long-awaited century with an unbeaten 102 off 130 balls in the second innings. It was his first hundred since his 193 against Australia in the Sydney Test in January 2019. After almost four years, he scored his 19th century. Rathour had a long chat with stand-in skipper KL Rahul and Virat Kohli and is expecting more innings from the top two batsmen. Rahul could only score 22 and 23 runs. When asked about the discussions held with Rahul, he said that I would not like to go into those discussions, these discussions keep happening, he wanted to do some things and there is nothing to worry about. He was trying some things. He said that we want both to score runs. Big innings are expected from both of them in this match.
Kohli recently ended the long wait for his international century, first in T20 Internationals against Afghanistan and then in ODIs against Bangladesh. Kohli now awaits a Test century which he last scored against the same Bangladesh team in the first day-night Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2019. Rahul was hit on the thumb by the ‘throwdown’ but the batting coach said he felt fine, although he was seen applying an ‘ice-pack’. Rathod said that doctors are looking at him, he is feeling fine.
Asked about the wicket, he said that we are expecting more ‘bounce’ and ‘turn’ on this pitch than in the last match. We will play according to the situation. He said any wicket we get is fine. There is no issue regarding this in our team. But if we bat first, then we have to score as many runs as possible and score well. Rathour said that the wicket in the first Test match was difficult. “We certainly batted well but we also bowled well. It was difficult to get 20 wickets on that wicket, especially in the second innings.
