Ind vs Eng 2nd Test: Wicketkeeper KS Bharat on Thursday said there is no panic in the injury-hit Indian camp and the home team has made a new plan to deal with England’s aggressive attitude in the second Test here. This also includes taking sweep shots if necessary. Bharat will play in front of its home crowd. He said that the team has worked on its shortcomings in the opening match of the series, in which England made a spectacular comeback and won by 28 runs. Under the leadership of Ollie Pope, England’s batsmen faced the Indian spinners comfortably by playing sweep and reverse sweep shots. He is expected to continue playing with the same enthusiasm in the Test starting here from Friday. Bharat said in the press conference organized on the eve of the match, ‘He played very well. Credit should be given to him. Ollie Pope played really good shots. The Indian team will play without its star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and top batsman KL Rahul who are injured.
Bharat said, ‘In our team meetings we talked about things that we could have done better and yes, we definitely have some plans. We are definitely looking at how he played in the first match, played some reverse shots. We have definitely worked on this.
It is known that unlike the English batsmen, Indian batsmen do not play many sweep shots but they were seen practicing these shots in the two training sessions before the second test. Does this mean the home team will play more ‘square off the wicket’? He said, ‘In India we have played a lot of cricket on such tracks. It is not that we do not know how to play sweep, reverse sweep or pedal shot, but considering the condition of the team on that particular day, we as batsmen take the decision.
Bharat said, ‘It is very clear for us to play freely. We had practiced reverse sweep shot even before the first match. But while playing at the crease, it is an individual batting plan. The 30-year-old batted well in the second innings in Hyderabad but was out on a beautiful ball from Tom Hartley. He said, ‘If the team demands to play a certain way then we have to do that’