After England chased down a meek 234 with four wickets in hand in the second ODI in Cardiff on Thursday to draw the three-match series 1-1, India captain Shubman Gill criticized his team’s middle-order collapse.
As England overhauled the target in 44.1 overs, Joe Root anchored the chase with a calm 99 not out.
At the halfway point of the innings, Gill acknowledged that India had fallen far short of their desired total. In just 26 deliveries, India fell from 178 for 3 to 193 for 7, and they never recovered.
“We thought 300-310 would be a good total after 25 overs when we were in a good position, but we lost too many wickets in the middle overs,” PTI quoted Gill as saying.
After the top order had established a strong foundation, the captain anticipated that the lower middle order would contribute more.
“Our tailenders are not the best batsmen, but we expected more from the lower middle-order batters and they were not able to capitalise on their starts,” Gill said.
Gill also bemoaned Washington Sundar’s injury, claiming it deprived India of a bowling option at a critical juncture.
“Never a good feeling when you ping one to cover. (Washington) Sundar is a key part of our team. Maybe it would have played a part, squeezing in the pressure.”
Although he believed the circumstances continued to favor the seamers, the India captain stated that the visitors had little choice but to primarily rely on their frontline pacers following Washington’s departure.
“We had to bowl our main bowlers throughout the innings. I don’t think it would have made a huge difference because the ball was doing more for the fast bowlers, but when you lose a key player, there is some momentum loss.”
Gill expressed particular admiration for Root, stating that the England batting star never gave India a chance in a chase that played to his advantages.
“We always knew that if the run-rate was five or more, we could have got a false shot out of him, but this kind of chase, he’s a master of these totals.”
Player-of-the-Match Root was thrilled with England’s response following the first loss, stating that strong teams are known for their ability to persevere through difficult circumstances.
“That’s what the game is all about. 1-1 in the series going to Lord’s. In those conditions, staying till the end and getting the win, that’s what it’s all about. Getting the win was the important thing.”
The former England captain stated that partnerships were essential to withstanding India’s pressure and that batting was far from simple. “Conditions were difficult to bat on, and we needed those partnerships to soak up the pressure. Sometimes you have to scrap for it and win ugly.”
Additionally, Root dismissed criticism of England’s recent ODI performance, stating that the team had once again demonstrated its capacity to recover from a setback.
“You could look at the last 30 games and our record or look at the here and now. We won the series in Sri Lanka after losing the first game. We learned lessons from that defeat. We did exactly that here.”
He said that the triumph over the top-ranked ODI team demonstrated that England were more powerful than the general public believed.
“To beat the world No. 1 team is great. The perception of this team is very different from where it is.”
