SLOW & STEADY FIGHT BACK

A speech, keeping the stumps in play & Dial K for Kuldeep: How India came back on a slow pitch

- - SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN @New Delhi

KL RAHUL was leading the group with what seemed like a big speech. A lot of the Indian players, some still holding drinks in their hands, were nodding along. Others were staring into the distance, looking at the vast expanse. A couple of the substitutes were trudging back to the dugout after Shubman Gill took over responsibility of geeing up the fielders.

At the end of the first official break in place on the fourth morning of the second Test, it was fair to say that the hosts were slowly but surely getting more frustrated.

One of the overnight batters, John Campbell, had reached a fine 100 while the other, Shai Hope, was looking very untroubled. Jasprit Bumrah had got the ball to curve back with some reverse but apart from a few balls, the pitch was holding firm. The ball had also gone out of shape and one of the newer ones from the briefcase had done nothing.