Joe Root admitted that his side failed to capitalize on openings in the game, but asserted that the Three Lions will use this thrashing as motivation and come back strong in the final Test. Root attested that England won’t have ‘any baggages from the previous games’ heading into the final Test.
The pink-ball Test was widely seen as England’s best opportunity to win a Test in India, but things went haywire for the visitors as they were once again thrashed by the Indian side – this time in under two days. After being bowled out for a paltry 112 in the first innings, England stayed alive in the contest by skittling India out for 145, but a disastrous showing with the bat on Day 2 – getting rolled over for 81 – ensured that they lost the entire Test in 5 sessions.
The loss means that India took a 2-1 lead, but with one Test left in the series, Root asserted that England will use the two defeats – in Chennai and Ahmedabad – as motivation and bounce back strong in the final Test in a week’s time.
“We were 70 for 2. But we didn’t really capitalize on it. 250 on that wicket would have made it different. We will come back using this hurt and come back as a better team,” Root said in the post match presentation.
“The plastic coating on the ball gathered pace off the wicket. It was high quality bowling as well. Both sides struggled on that wicket. We don’t define ourselves on a performance like this.”
As was evident in Chennai, too, batting has been England’s Achilles heel, with their bowlers often doing enough damage to keep the Indian batsmen in check. Root pointed out the same, but insisted that the English batsmen will not carry any ‘baggage from the previous games’.
“We shouldn’t have any baggage from the previous games going into the last game. We have seen with the ball in hand, we can pick up wickets. I think it sums up the wicket, if I am getting a fifer.”
The fourth and final Test will also be played in the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad from March 4.
