500th Test: Loose shots cost us, got to be patient, says Murali Vijay

New Zealand celebrate fall of the Virat Kohli wicket yesterday

New Zealand celebrate fall of the Virat Kohli wicket yesterday

Kanpur: Opener Murali Vijay yesterday admitted that Indian batsmen were guilty of playing loose shots to let go the advantage in the first Test against New Zealand here but asserted that the hosts have put up a good total to make a game out of it."

India were in a strong position at 154-1 at one stage before a middle-order collapse saw them reduce to 291-9 at stumps on the opening day.

Vijay top-scored for the hosts with a 65 but himself played a poor shot, a cut off a not-so-short ball off leg-break bowler Ish Sodhi and was caught behind. Apart from him, skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's poor shot selection also resulted in wickets. Asked if it was lack of application from the batsmen or the wicket that resulted to India losing the advantage, Vijay said, it was a "bit of both".

"We got out to loose shots as well and wicket was deteriorating as well, so we really got to be patient on this wicket. It's a lesson learnt and hopefully we can put up a better show in the second innings," Vijay said at the press conference.

Lapse of concentration
Talking about his own shot, Vijay said it was out of lapse of concentration. "It was just a bad shot selection and I can really work on that and put up a better show in the second innings." Vijay added that despite losing wickets in a heap, India were in a "good position". "We have put runs on the board. What we have got to do now is go there and put pressure on them. It's a good total to play around with," he said.

"We have our plans, the wicket is on the slower side and it is going to be difficult to score runs. That is what I have experienced on the first day, so it's going to be difficult for them as well with the quality of Ashwin and Jadeja in the side. It's going to be a good day for us, hopefully."