'Had enough runs to defend': Parthiv backs India's batting efforts in washed-out T20I vs ENG
New Delhi, July 2
Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel backed India's batting display after the rain-hit opening T20I against England in Durham ended without a result on Wednesday.
India, who opted to bat first after winning the toss, posted 190 before persistent rain prevented the second innings from getting underway. Assessing the visitors' performance after play was called off, Patel said the innings showed India's willingness to adapt to English conditions and highlighted Abhishek Sharma's impact at the top of the order.
According to Patel, India embraced the challenge of batting in unfamiliar conditions instead of taking a cautious approach. "From India's point of view, they needed this kind of batting performance, especially after what had happened in Ireland. They wanted to challenge themselves; they wanted to adapt to the conditions early, and India did that really well in this game," Patel told JioStar.
"190 runs on this pitch, with three spinners bowling through the middle overs, I thought India had enough runs to defend. Nevertheless, they will definitely be more confident going into the second T20I," he added.
The former India cricketer also reserved special praise for Abhishek Sharma, crediting the left-hander for quickly reading the nature of the surface and making the most of scoring opportunities.
"I thought he batted really well. He understood the conditions well. There was a slightly spongier bounce in Durham, but he made sure that whenever the opportunity presented itself, he capitalised on it," he stated.
Patel pointed to Abhishek's aggressive intent against both pace and spin as one of the defining features of the innings, as he said, "That over from Saqib Mahmood was an important one, where he stepped out and hit three boundaries, two over point and one over mid-off. Then, when the spinners came on, he chose the right areas to hit those sixes."
Looking beyond the knock itself, Patel said performances in overseas conditions continue to reinforce Abhishek's credentials as one of the leading batters in the shortest format.
"Scoring runs in the SENA countries, South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia, puts a stamp on your authority and your skill set. Usually, that's how you get judged. He did well in South Africa, then in Australia, and now he has scored runs in English conditions as well. That is the reason why he has been either the No. 1 or No. 2 T20I batter for almost a year," Patel mentioned.
The two sides will next face off in the second T20I on Saturday at Old Trafford in Manchester.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good assessment by Parthiv. I think India's approach was refreshing – no defensive batting, just going for it. But let's be honest, we also need to see if our spinners can handle England's batting on these pitches. Washed out matches always leave you with more questions than answers. Hope Saturday brings better weather! ☔
Parthiv Patel is absolutely right. Abhishek Sharma's innings was a masterclass in reading conditions. That spongy bounce in Durham is tricky, but he adapted brilliantly. The way he took on Saqib Mahmood was top-notch batting. However, I feel 190 might have been a little below par if England had gotten a full innings – their batting is deep. Still, good effort overall. Let's hope India builds on this for the next game! 💪
As someone who watches a lot of English cricket, I have to say India batted with real intent. It's good to see them not just playing safe. Abhishek Sharma is seriously impressive – the way he used his feet against pace and then dominated the spinners was world-class. I'm actually disappointed we didn't get to see England chase this. Could have been a classic! 🌧️ No result is never fun.
Parthiv bhai ki baat mein dum hai. 190 was definitely gettable but defendable too with our spin attack. Abhishek Sharma is becoming our go-to man in T20Is across conditions. The only minor criticism is that we lost a few wickets in the middle overs – could have pushed to 200+. But for an overseas tour start, this was a solid performance. Rain saved England from our death bowlers, I say! 😄
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