Indian team’s ploy of playing four spinners at the cost of a second pacer would stand them in good stead in the second innings, feels debutant all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who dismissed Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen on the first day of the fourth cricket Test.
“Four spinners will come in handy later in the game. Especially in the second innings, via the bowlers’ foot marks. Currently wicket is neither helping fast men nor spinners. I think spinners will get more and more help as the game progresses. Fast bowlers’ deliveries are going slow after pitching,” Jadeja said at the post-match media conference.
England, at stumps on day one, at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha, had inched their way after opting to bat first to 199 for 5 in 97 overs, at a rate of just over two per over.
Jadeja said his team was aiming to restrict the visitors to between 300 and 350 on Friday.
“The less number of runs we give the better it will be for us. Ball will start turning on day two or three. As footmarks, develop ball will starting turning more. We should restrict them to 300-350.”
According to Jadeja, who forced his way into the team as replacement for the under-performing Yuvraj Singh, the wicket appeared pretty flat and did not help either the new ball bowler or the spinners.
“There is no turn on offer. It’s flat and very slow. Fast bowlers are also finding it difficult to bowl. No turn for spinners and bounce is low. Attempting to bowl stump-to-stump and not give them easy runs and boundaries so that they play wrong shots and get out.”
