If Murali Vijay was patience-personified on the pitch, he seemed in a hurry off it. He gave quick replies, but the contentment at a job well done shone through.
There was also a touch of emotion when he said: “This is a big series and actually it was a dream.”
The plan, Vijay stressed, was to stay positive while gauging the conditions besides remaining patient. “I wasn’t bogged down. On 99, Plunky (Liam Plunkett) was pitching it short and I wanted to see it off. With Shikhy (Shikhar Dhawan), the plan was to start well.
“In the afternoon, there was some reverse swing for James Anderson. I have been working on staying at the wicket. Earlier I used to get set and get out playing some flashy strokes. The pitch was good, the ball came on well and they say when there is something (clouds) in the sky, things happen. I wish it does when we are bowling,” said Vijay.
Meanwhile, Anderson expressed his anguish over a pitch that is hardly English.
“Frustrating it is, but the pitch is what it is, so we just need to stick together as a bowling unit. On a pitch like this you got to be creative,” he said.
When asked about England being a good host, the speedster replied: “Amazing hosts, isn’t it?”
