Former Indian wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta has shed light on the drawn Test match against Sri Lanka at Colombo. Dasgupta reckons India should have declared their first innings a bit earlier than they eventually did.
The visitors declared after posting 503-9 in 138 overs. However, the former Bengal cricketer reckons Indian bowlers would have received more time if Shubman Gill and team management had decided to declare a tad earlier than they eventually did.
The match ended in a draw after Sonal Dinusha and Co. showed all the resistance on the final day of the Test match. Dinusha scored an unbeaten knock of 133 runs whereas he also received support from Keshara Nuwantha and Lahiru Kumara.
“I feel it had nothing to do with the last day. I’ll take you back to day two, we declared after scoring 500. That should have happened in five sessions and not six. We may not have won with an extra session, but planning could have been better. We batted for an extra session,” Deep Dasgupta said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Dasgupta reckons the decision to enforce the follow-on was fine given less time in the match but the bowlers were tired after bowling in the first innings.
“It was a difficult call (follow on) as you did not have time. If you had a session or two more, then you may have. Ideally Shubman and Gautam would have asked the bowlers. If you had scored fast, you would have some more time. The decision was fine. It was just that the bowlers were tired and it did not go India’s way.”
The former gloveman said India should look to make the most of the remaining matches in the ongoing WTC cycle and use them to dominate the next editions of the tournament.
“I am not even thinking of the WTC in this cycle. I might get some backlash, but I will stick to my thought process, which is making use of this cycle to dominate in the next two cycles. This is a good opportunity. You can see the seam options in New Zealand and the spin in the BGT at home,” he said.
India will next take on New Zealand in a two-match Test series.
