Missed catches hurt India, says batting coach Sanjay Bangar

Sanjay Bangar

Rajkot: India's batting coach Sanjay Bangar on Wednesday said the team would have been in a good position had they taken the missed catches during the opening day of the first cricket Test against England.

Excellent batting by Joe Root and Moen Ali helped England to score 311/4 in their first innings on the opening day of the first cricket Test against India at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium here.

Coming together after England lost three wickets in the first session of the day, Root and Ali added 107 runs between them to help the visitors to dominate the first day.

Root scored 124 before being caught and bowled by pacer Umesh Yadav. Ali was on the cusp of a well deserved century as he was unbeaten on 99 at the close of the day's play.

Ben Stokes, who was batting on 19, was giving Ali company at stumps.

"We would still be in good position if we had taken six wickets and conceded 25-30 less runs but game changes quickly. They are four down already and a couple of wickets can change the game and we could wrap them probably in a session or half," Sanjay Bangar told reporters after the day's play here.

Bangar also heaped praises on the England batsmen for applying themselves and taking advantage of the conditions.

"It's a day one wicket and Rajkot is always known as the batsmen's paradise, so due credit to them. They are quality players and they applied themselves well to make full use of the conditions that were offered to them," Bangar said.

Commenting on pacer Mohammad Shami's injury Bangar said: "our physio told us that he suffered muscular cramps. He took ice bath and was fine to bowl after that. He is being monitored closely and will be fit for the second day."

Shami pulled his hamstring in the 61st over of the day and struggled to get back to his bowling mark before leaving the field.