Please score double tons: Ashwin to Pant
India should focus on extending their batting time and Rishabh Pant must convert his hundreds into double centuries against an 'average' England attack in the ongoing Test series, said senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in his detailed post-mortem of the team's five-wicket loss in the lung-opener at Leeds.
Despite five centuries from their batters across both innings, India allowed England to chase their second highest target of 371 to concede a 0-1 lead in the five-match series.
'One thing that the Indian team's batting can focus on is in every innings, can you extend your batting with time -- not by runs. Increase the amount of time England is fielding and increase the amount of time you keep them on the field,'Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.
'...I will say one thing -- don't panic and change drastically. India could and might level the series in the next Test. But if we don't understand the tactics England are using, this series could very well go away from us quickly.'
Ashwin stressed that the game slipped out of India's hands the moment they were bowled out early on the fourth day.
'When you didn't extend your batting into Day 5, the game was over. This England team has openly advertised that they will go for the target whatever may be the target. So as a batting lineup, we've to keep in mind that we have to give them less time but give a bigger target,' he explained.
'If you want to set a target, you will have to keep a minimum of 400–450. I would say 450 with as little time as possible is the best way to win a Test match in England at this point of time. If the wicket is such.'
Lauding the twin centuries by Pant, Ashwin said comparing him to Mahendra Singh Dhoni was not appropriate, as the latter never batted at the reasonably high No. 5 position.
'... Rishabh Pant should be compared with the likes of Virat Kohli...He is a mainstream batter. Because he has got so much time...,' he said. Ashwin compared Pant's ability to pick a delivery with Pakistani great Inzamam-ul-Haq.
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