LONDON– Former India head coach Ravi Shastri praised India’s performance in the opening session of the fifth Test at The Oval while pointing out England’s inconsistency with the ball.
At lunch, taken early due to rain, India were 72/2 after 23 overs, with B Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill unbeaten on 25 and 15, respectively.
“India will take 72-2. They played well towards the end of the session,” Shastri said on Sky Sports. “I thought England were inconsistent — some loose deliveries were on offer and put away.”
Shastri noted that the Oval pitch required precision and patience. “It’s the kind of track where you need to be accurate and patient, get the ball in the right areas, and let the pitch do the rest,” he explained. “Gill and Sudharsan know each other well from the IPL, they rotated strike smartly and ran well between the wickets.”
Commenting on the bowling conditions, Shastri added, “One wicket can lead to another quickly here. Bowlers need their share of luck, but consistency in line and length is key — nothing flashy.”
Former England cricketer Ian Ward echoed similar concerns for the home side, saying Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton needed to improve their accuracy.
“Atkinson was excellent, Woakes was good, but they need more from Tongue and Overton,” Ward said. “Overton, especially, has been slipping and dragging the ball down. But with the conditions still favorable, England could still claim quick wickets.”
If there’s no further rain, play is expected to resume at 3 p.m. local time (7:30 p.m. IST). (Source: IANS)
