Wasim Jaffer Expecting Strong Comeback From India In Christchurch Test
Feb 28, 2020 at 9:11 PM
The veteran Indian opening batsman Wasim Jaffer feels that the Indian batsmen have to score enough runs to put the team into the challenging position in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.
India are currently busy in the two-match away Test series against the hosts New Zealand. The visiting batsmen surrendered in both the innings of the last game at Basin Reserve (Wellington) which the home side won by ten wickets.
The second Test of this series will begin on this Saturday (29th February) at Hagley Oval (Christchurch). It is the must-win game for the visitors to save this series.
While there are some inexperienced cricketers in the Indian batting line-up, Wasim Jaffer feels that the captain Virat Kohli and the experienced top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara have to take crucial responsibilities to build up the strong total for the team. Jaffer believes that India can’t win these Tests after scoring just 200-250 runs, they have to score at least 400-450 runs.
He said according to PTI, “Virat has a lean patch for a while, so I am expecting him to come back stronger. Pujara needs some runs under his belt. Most importantly they need to convert their starts into three figures, if that doesn’t happen and if we don’t put score of 350-400 runs then it is difficult.
“In 200-250 (runs) you can’t win a Test match unless there is much help from the pitch. When we bat first or bat second, we need to score 400-450 runs.”
To get out both times under 200 is unlike the number one Test team: Wasim Jaffer
Wasim Jaffer admitted that the first innings was favourable for the bowlers, but India should have batted better in their second innings when the condition was better. The 42-year-old feels that India didn’t bat like the no.1-ranked Test team in that game.
He added, “They kept our run-rate in check and kept our batsmen under pressure for long periods. I felt that in the first innings the conditions were favourable for bowlers, but they worked out a strategy of bouncers and we should have batted better in the second innings. To get out both times under 200 is unlike the number one Test team.
However, Wasim Jaffer in confident enough that the Indian team will bounce back in the final Test of this tour, like the past times.
Jaffer said, “There is no doubt that they India will come back hard in the next Test (at Christchurch), which they should and they have always done that in the past. Whenever they have been put under pressure, they have bounced back very strongly. I’m expecting the same thing.”
Wasim Jaffer also believes that India missed Rohit Sharma in the Wellington Test. He feels that the Christchurch Test will be important for the youngsters like Prithvi Shaw or Shubman Gill.
Jaffer quoted, “Rohit (Sharma) is not there and he is a seasoned player and India actually missed him. Anybody who gets a chance, Shubhman or Prithvi, it’s a crucial very Test match for them.”
According to the latest media reports, Prithvi Shaw is likely to open with Mayank Agarwal in the Christchurch Test.