India vs Eng 2nd Test: We are backing Rohit Sharma to play his shots, says batting coach Vikram Rathour

Talking about individual players, Vikram Rathour advised Rohit Sharma to be a ‘little more selective’ with his shots after the opener fell to a pull shot for the second time in the Test series against England.

India opener Rohit Sharma walks off after being dismissed by England paceman Mark Wood on Day 4 of second Test at Lord's. (Photo: PTI)

Batting coach Vikram Rathour has defended the faltering Indian willow-wielders, saying lean patches are part and parcel of the game and it's a matter of time before runs start flowing from their bats again. Rathour said the Indian batsmen are putting in the hard yards at nets in their bid to iron out flaws and return among runs in the ongoing tour of England.

“Not really. Not really,” Rathour said, at the virtual post-day press conference after the fourth day’s play in the second Test on Sunday (August 15), when specifically asked if continuous non-performance of the batters abroad puts him under pressure.

“But of course, we are working hard, it is an unique kind of situation where we are working hard with the players. As long as they are trying their best, working hard or practicing well, results will come. These phases will come,” said Rathour.

In their second innings, India were in a spot of bother at 181 for 6, when stumps were drawn on day four, leading by 154 runs. “When you are playing cricket, you will have lean phases as a batsman, so you need to get through them, you need to keep working hard and keep getting your processes right, and as a support staff we are helping them to do that,” Rathour said.

“As for added pressure on us, not really, but we do feel concerned if someone is really working hard and he fails. You feel bad, you feel that you know that hard-work is not really paying off. But as far as we are concerned with the batters, all of them have absolute faith in them. They will come good and as I said they are having their processes right, they are working really hard in the practice and giving their best. So soon runs will follow,” he said.

Gritty. Solid. Valuable. #TeamIndia vice-captain @ajinkyarahane88 falls after scoring a fine 61. #ENGvIND

Follow the match https://t.co/KGM2YELLde pic.twitter.com/qmgxkZWCyK — BCCI (@BCCI) August 15, 2021

Talking about individual players, Rathour advised Rohit Sharma to be a ‘little more selective’ with his shots after the opener fell to a pull shot for the second time in the Test series against England. “There will be analysis, of course every-time they get out, we will be having a talk, what happened and what they were thinking while batting or while they played that shot,” he said.

“As far Rohit is concerned, I think he has made it clear that that is the shot which fetches him runs, that is the shot where he gets runs with, so he is going to play those shots and we are backing him to play those shots, only thing he needs to do is to be a little-more selective, with what to play and when to play.”

According to Rathour, skipper Virat Kohli, who was dismissed on 20, was undone by a lapse in concentration. “Kohli, I don't think there was any issue, it was just a lapse in concentration today, where his bat went to the ball, which he shouldn’t have played and nothing more, I don't think anything old (is) coming back,” the batting coach said.

Rathour said that the team needs to set a target close to the 200-run mark. “You are right, this will be a typical fifth day wicket of a Test match, where the ball will go up and down and is also turning, like we saw. So, again like I said earlier, if we can take the target near 200 runs, then it won't be easy for England,” he said.

“Like (Ravindra) Jadeja bowled in the first innings, he was accurate, if he gets turn from there, he can create problems for the batsmen, and our pace attack is bowling well. If the ball stays up and down, like we are seeing, when the ball is hard, then, if we can add 30-40 runs more and take 1-2 early England wickets, then there will be pressure on them,” he added.

(with PTI inputs0