1st Test: India had to bowl defensively due to flat wicket, says Nadeem | Cricket News - Times of India

1st Test: India had to bowl defensively due to flat wicket, says Nadeem | Cricket News – Times of India

February 6, 2021

by NEWS COUNTRY INDIA

CHENNAI: The flat wicket at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday made it hard for the Indian bowlers to go for the wickets and instead they have been forced to bowl defensively and wait for the batsmen to make mistakes, said India left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem.
Nadeem took the wickets of Joe Root and Ben Stokes but not before the two shared a 124-run partnership – out of which Ben Stokes made 82, to drive England ahead. The visitors finished on 555 for eight wickets at the end of the second day.
“To bowl in the right areas was the plan (on this pitch). If you go for wickets, then you tend to give runs. The plan was to bowl in good areas and if the batsmen play some bad shots then you have a chance to get wickets. My plan was also the same,” said Nadeem who admitted to struggling against Root’s sweep shots.

“Root is a very good batsman. He has been in form of late. He is sweeping really well. So to bowl to him you have to plan to stay on the stumps and not bowl away from stumps. It becomes a problem when a batsman starts sweeping but at the same time you have to stick to your line and length and wait for the batsman to make mistakes,” he added.

“There has not been much change in the wicket. There is just a rough, which is on the left (of the batsman) that can trouble but in the centre it is still good.”
The 31-year-old spinner said on Saturday that he struggled with his delivery stride because he was jumping a bit late. Nadeem bowled six out of the 19 India bowled over the two days.
“I feel I am jumping a bit late. I should be jumping well before the crease but I think I am jumping a bit late. That is why the problem existed. Yesterday it was more, today it was a bit less. Planning to work on that in the nets,” he explained.

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1st Test: Root’s double-century in 100th Test puts England in control

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England captain Joe Root became the first batsman to smash a double-hundred in his 100th Test, crafting a massive 218 runs to put his team in charge of the opening match against India in Chennai. (PTI Photo)

Root registered his second double-ton in three matches as England amassed 555-8 on a flat wicket. At the end of Day 2, Dom Bess was batting on 28 with Jack Leach on six at the other end.(PTI Photo)

Root was seen battling cramps in the final overs on Friday but returned to hound India’s bowlers when England resumed on 263-3.The right-hander looked typically solid against an Indian attack which could manage only a couple of half-hearted lbw appeals against him in the first two sessions. (PTI Photo)

Root was more than happy to let Ben Stokes dominate their 124-run collaboration for the fourth wicket. Playing his first Test since August, Stokes smashed 10 boundaries and three sixes in a typically entertaining 82. (PTI Photo)

The home side did not look sharp on the field either. R Ashwin dropped a return catch from Stokes, then on 31, and in the next over, the all-rounder’s slog-sweep brushed a diving Cheteshwar Pujara’s fingers at midwicket. (PTI Photo)

Nadeem, who is playing just his second Test said that Ishant Sharma‘s wickets of Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer were very crucial.
“If we wouldn’t have got those wickets, those batsmen would have still been batting. Two bowlers batting can be called an upper hand,” he said and also explained why India are still in the game.

01:401st Test: Root hits double ton as England reach 555-8 on Day 2

“We have to get them out as early as possible. The pitch is still very good for batting. I am sure our batsmen will also score a big total,” he added.

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