Batting coach Sanjay Bangar said that it was a good position for India to be in at the end of second day’s play here on Friday.
“We are well-placed. At one time the game was hanging in balance at 162 for four. Then, Rahane and Pant put up a very good partnership. Hopefully they see through the crucial first 30 minutes tomorrow morning when the second new ball is due,” said Bangar.
“Once we ensure we don’t lose too many wickets in the morning and bat out hopefully for two full sessions, then we should be in a great position,” he said.
Work in progress
On opener K.L. Rahul’s failure again on Friday, Bangar said the dismissal was not really about the ball coming in. “It was probably a fourth stump ball and he was looking to leave it,” he said.
“Yes, he had issues with incoming balls. He is working hard on it. At times, a batsman thinks a lot about the away going ball, and forgets to concentrate on straighter balls, or those pitched in line. We are working on it.
“If those dismissals happen past the 20 or 25-run mark that is a more serious cause of concern. He is concentrating or expecting the balls to pitch on line. The second road block is to get the start,” he added.
“There are many voices which can create a doubt about your own method. For us, he has been very consistent from 2014 till now. He’s had very, very small patches when he did not deliver. It is for him to make sure that his mind is not clouded by this. This can generally happen to any player,” said Bangar.
Questioned on how long the team will pursue with Rahul, Bangar said it is was for the selectors to decide before recalling the batsman’s contributions overseas and also in the tough series against Australia at home.
“We need to keep an eye on the future. We always back players capable of winning matches, who are impact players,” he said.
Bowling to a plan
Commenting on the West Indies bowlers, Bangar felt that in contrast to Rajkot they were bowling to a plan, and made things harder for the batsmen. “The batsman had to way for the loose balls,” he said.
Reflecting on Prithvi Shaw’s aggression, Bangar said that not all batters could play in a similar style. “We all encourage the batsmen to have individual style. I believe that someone like Shaw at the top takes the pressure off the middle-order,” he added.
