England’s cricket team secured a memorable victory in the Hyderabad Test by defeating India by 28 runs, led by Ben Stokes. The win gave them a 1-0 lead in the five-match test series, with the second exam scheduled to begin on February 2nd.
India suffered a major setback before the Vizag Test, with Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul being ruled out due to injuries. As a result, the Indian team’s playing XI will require changes, with three new players added to the squad to replace them.
Indian batters are not typically known for their sweeping ability in the longer format of the game, but they have made a conscious effort to practice the shot ahead of the second Test against England. During their first net session, most Indian batters used the sweep stroke, except for skipper Rohit Sharma, in the first Test, which ended up being their fourth home defeat since 2013.
During the initial session, the entire Indian squad practised their sweep shots, with young batter Shubman Gill attempting both the conventional and reverse sweeps. Despite being equipped with all the shots, he was criticized for his defensive play in the series opener.
Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour believes that Indian batters need to practice sweep shots, which could be highly beneficial. He stated that the Indian batters’ strength lies in going straight using their feet but wants to add more weapons to their batting skills.
“It is not something you can try. You need to practice it. If you have more shots it is beneficial. We play in a traditional way. Our strength is going straight and using our feet. We need to do that well and if we can play some shots, that is always a good addition,” Vikram Rathour said.
In contrast, sweeps and reverse sweeps have become a formidable weapon for England’s batters against the champion Indian spinners, who struggled in the second innings of the Hyderabad Test.
Rajat Patidar, who is scheduled to make his debut on Friday, also practised the sweep and reverse sweep. A new addition to the Indian squad Sarfaraz Khan also hit the net and practiced catching in the slips.
