Despite a strong start at 430/3, the Men in Blue were bowled out for 471, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Pant contributing centuries during the innings. England responded vigorously, ending the day at 209/3, with Ollie Pope remaining unbeaten on 100.
“Rishabh Pant is someone who formulates his own strategies. He determines how he wants to bat. This innings was somewhat distinct from his usual style, but it truly reflects his planning,” Kotak shared with the media after the day’s play.
“He approached it on his terms, deciding when to be aggressive. Just because he plays attacking cricket doesn’t mean he can’t play defensively,” Kotak explained.
Kotak recognized that the team experienced a batting collapse, yet he felt positive about the Men in Blue maintaining a lead of 262 runs.
“There was indeed a bit of a collapse, as we had batsmen in there. Transitioning from 430 for three to 471 all out involved losing several wickets, so it wasn’t just the last five; it was a general collapse. We anticipated better, but such things can occur,” he acknowledged.
Kotak noted that Shubman Gill had made improvements to his batting after a challenging tour of Australia last year.
“Following the Australia tour, he contemplated certain elements and implemented them,” Kotak stated.
“Given the timing after the Australia tour with the subsequent England series, Champions Trophy, and the IPL, we didn’t have much time to work with Gill,” he added.
“However, he definitely made certain adjustments, and upon seeing him in the nets, I confirmed that he made changes, to which he affirmed. He deserves a lot of credit for recognizing what he needed to work on, and he executed that remarkably well,” Kotak mentioned.
Kotak dismissed any notions of complacency in the Indian batting strategy, highlighting their strong performance on the first day of the series.
“I didn’t perceive any complacency. However, after reaching 350 for three, you naturally expect to build a substantial score since you find yourself in a comfortable position. I don’t think the players were satisfied at all,” he remarked.
“It’s simply that England bowled well and there were a few soft dismissals.
“After losing the toss, the way we batted was commendable, especially since Headingley often sees a high number of wickets fall on Day One, which is reflected in the results. We batted well on the first day,” he continued.
Jasprit Bumrah claimed all three wickets for India on Day 2, though he faced a minor setback by overstepping and delivering a no ball that resulted in Harry Brook’s dismissal.
“Normally, this doesn’t happen, but it was somewhat unfortunate. Nonetheless, as a team and support staff, we recognize such incidents occur,” he commented.
“We have been bowling effectively, aside from a few patches where runs were conceded. Overall, it was quite good, and the wicket looks promising; there’s something happening off it,” he concluded.
