India Batting First Could Have Given Different Result in Rajkot Test

The hosts will welcome back opener KL Rahul from injury and he is set to replace Gautam Gambhir (whose Test career might be over) while they might look to bring in Ishant Sharma for Umesh Yadav.

Skipper Cook (130) notched up his 30th Test hundred besides sharing a strong 180-run stand with his new opening partner Haseeb Hameed (82) to put their side in a strong position before declaring their second innings at 260 for three.

Rahul seems to have gotten straight back into action after his comeback, scoring a total of 182 runs from two innings.

“We were waiting for him to recover as soon as possible”.

He also went to say that the chance that Gautam Gambhir got was largely helped by injuries to the first-choice players. Don’t think we needed to think any differently to call back Rahul. “That was the whole idea behind it”.

New Zealand were shot out for 79 at this same venue two weeks ago with spinners ruling the roost.

Speaking about the pitch at Vizag which is believed to assist spinners from day 2, Kohli said, “Vizag’s pitch assists the spinners a lot and there is also something in it for the pacers early on”. Full marks to England for the way they batted and bowled, especially their spinners. This first Test in Rajkot was the best I’ve seen him bowl, and a good leg-spinner is a massive asset in world cricket. It did take time for me to get my rhythm, especially since I was playing a Test after a long time. They are a fit side with wonderful fielding abilities.

“That is the kind of the question we have got to ask ourselves”.

‘If you take your chances, you have a team five down for 100 compared to three down for 250 – it’s a different ball game altogether. It makes a hell of a difference in the game’. Very clearly, the Indians have understood that not taking catches that come your way could very almost cost you the match. A 19-year-old not only out-batted me but scored quicker than me and made it look easier than me.

“England are a side we are not going to take for granted”. But those were little things that woke me up every day in the morning. “I’m feeling really good”, Rahul was quoted as saying by Sportstar Live. The return of Lokesh Rahul at the top of the order comes a boost to the team. “Since the match was happening very close to Vizag, it’s good to have him in the squad”. “You can spend a lot of time in the gym, doing your rehab and training but you are never fully healed until you play a few games”.