Gambhir optimistic about ‘better’ batting performances from India’s tail-end after collapse at Headingley

LEEDS: India head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the tail-end despite the twin batting collapse in each innings of the opening Test against England at Headingley.

India surrendered to a five-wicket defeat to fall 1-0 behind in the five-match affair. England choreographed a historic 371-run chase on the final day, courtesy of Ben Duckett’s flamboyant 149, Joe Root’s calm 53* and Jamie Smith’s explosive 44*.

At the end of the day, Indian players would turn to the mirror, look at themselves and rue the missed opportunities that fell their way. Besides the catch-dropping fiasco, India’s tail-end engineered a lacklustre performance, allowing England to tip the scales in their favour.

In the first innings, India positioned itself in a place of dominance with 430/3 on the board. However, England made inroads and forced India to pack their bags on 471. A similar situation unfolded in the second innings when tourists gave away their last six wickets for a mere 31 runs to settle for 364.

Gambhir didn’t point a finger at a single department but backed the tail-end to learn and produce better performances with the bat in the future.

“It’s not that they’re not working hard in the nets as well. Sometimes these things happen. Even the pure batters fail as well. So, hopefully they’re going to learn, and hopefully we can have better performances from our tail. And that is not the only reason why we lost the Test match, to be honest. There were other moments as well, where we could have won the Test match,” Gambhir said in the post-match press conference.

India’s batting calamity echoed the difference between the top five batters and the bottom six. India’s first half was the primary driving force and accumulated 721 runs, courtesy of five centuries. At the same time, the rest could only muster 65 runs, adding to India’s agony.

“Everyone wants to contribute, be it with the ball, be it with the bat, or on the field as well. But I’m not going to single out, sitting here and single out. It’s because the tail couldn’t contribute, or 8, 9, 10, 11 couldn’t contribute, that’s why we lost the Test match. We lose together, we win together. Look, first Test match, obviously, there are nerves,” he added.

After Shubman Gill’s Test captaincy reign began with a tantalising loss, India will look to restore parity in the series in Birmingham next week. (ANI)