"England will now win the Test series.."- Michael Atherton believes Rohit Sharma and co are done and dusted
Updated - 02 Feb 2024, 01:19 PM
Former England cricketer Michael Atherton backed the Ben Stokes-led team to secure victory in the ongoing five-match Test series against India. Michael Atherton highlighted that England has a significant psychological advantage to extend their lead in the red ball series.
The England team secured a 28-run victory in the first Test match over the hosts in Hyderabad. The visiting team won the match despite conceding a 190-run lead in the first innings. They bowled out the opposition team for 202 runs in the final innings of the match.
England Have Moved From Heavy Second Favourites – Michael Atherton
In his column at The Times, Michael Atherton noted that England has shifted from being heavy second favorites to winning the series. Atherton highlighted the injuries to key Indian players, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, stating that England can build on their lead.
“England have moved from heavy second favorites to a situation where it would be a disappointment now if they did not win the series,” Atherton wrote in his column.
“Such an outcome, so unexpected and so unbelievable given where both teams were on first innings, must have a huge psychological impact, especially given the quick turnaround and the injuries to two of India’s key players, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul. England have an excellent chance of building on their lead,” Atherton said.
India is currently facing a challenging situation with the absence of Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and KL Rahul for the second Test match in Visakhapatnam. Several Indian batters, including skipper Rohit Sharma, are currently struggling to score in the red-ball format.
Spinner Jack Leach was also ruled out of the second Test due to a knee injury. England handed Shoaib Bashir his debut in the second Test. James Anderson replaced Mark Wood in the playing XI for the visitors. They retained their batting line-up for the Visakhapatnam Test.
Virat Kohli’s Absence Was Became Apparent – Michael Atherton
Michael Atherton emphasized that Virat Kohli‘s absence was evident in Hyderabad. Atherton noted India’s miss of Kohli’s batting prowess, slip-catching ability, and pressure-handling skills.
“How significant Kohli’s absence became apparent during the first Test, given how badly they missed his appetite for big runs, his safe catching at slip, his ability to withstand pressure, and his passionate attitude in the field,” Atherton further stated.
“Rohit Sharma is a captain in a very different mold from his predecessor [Kohli] — at once more laid-back, albeit not quite so passive as MS Dhoni. As England began to get ahead in Hyderabad, Kohli’s electric presence in the field, as much as anything, was missed,” he concluded.
Virat Kohli, who opted out of the first two matches due to personal reasons, is expected to rejoin the team for the third Test. The 35-year-old holds a good record against England in red-ball cricket. He scored 1015 runs in 13 home Tests against England at an average of 56.38.
Also read: Michael Atherton reveals why Ben Stokes threw Tom Hartley in a tight corner vs Yashasvi Jaiswal
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England National Cricket Team IND vs ENG 2024 India National Cricket Team Michael Atherton Virat Kohli
