Positive intent or too aggressive? Decoding India’s batting strategy in 1st Test | Cricket

In the opening innings of the first Test against England, Team India displayed an unusually aggressive batting approach as they responded to the visiting side’s total of 246 in Hyderabad. Despite the early loss of Rohit Sharma, the Indian side had an impressive start to their batting innings, fueled by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s counter-attacking knock as he concluded Day 1 unbeaten at 76 off just 70 balls.

However, Jaiswal’s dismissal early on the second day, trying to hit Joe Root for a boundary straight off long-off, hinted at a pattern in the Indian batting approach. A list of dismissals revealed a common theme – the Indian batters were attempting aggressive shots in an effort to score boundaries. From Rohit Sharma’s attempt to hit a six to Shubman Gill’s dismissal caught at midwicket while trying to hit a four, the intent to dominate the English bowlers was evident.

The aggressive approach extended beyond Jaiswal, with Rohit Sharma setting the tone during his brief stay at the crease, scoring 24 off 27 deliveries. Shubman Gill’s dismissal resulted from not consistently adding runs, compelling him to opt for the aggressive option, which led to him being caught for 23. KL Rahul appeared the most comfortable of the Indian batters, but even he fell victim to the aggressive mindset, attempting a six and getting caught at deep midwicket when he was on 86. Sunil Gavaskar, on air, observed that Indian batters seemed to have ‘thrown’ their wickets away.

Positive approach or too aggressive?

Despite the aggressive approach, however, it cannot be entirely classified as careless cricket. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, both in contention for a century, might have succumbed to aggressive strokeplay in their bid to score quickly. However, – with all due respect to the English spinners – there was a noticeable disparity in the quality of the bowling attacks displayed by both teams. The Indian trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel exhibited a stellar performance, maintaining consistent lines and lengths throughout the innings. In contrast, the spin attack fielded by England, relatively inexperienced, showed signs of waywardness at various points during their spells. The difference in effectiveness became apparent as the Indian batters seized the opportunity to capitalize on England’s spin vulnerabilities.

This strategic approach aimed to maximize the advantage, forming robust partnerships that put England under significant pressure. The decision by Ben Stokes not to utilize Joe Root’s bowling against Yashasvi Jaiswal was perceived as a missed opportunity, especially considering England’s deployment of two left-arm spinners and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed.

To sum it up, the Indian team’s approach reflected a certain strategy to make the most of England’s inexperienced spin bowlers. India took the lead with five wickets remaining in the innings, and while a case can certainly be made to play in a more composed manner, it would be unfair to disregard the approach altogether.