“England read the wicket better than us” - Kiran More on Chennai Test

Former India wicketkeeper Kiran More credited the England team for their excellent planning and better reading of the Chennai strip, where the visitors handed the hosts a chastening 227-run defeat.

England dominated the first Test in Chennai right from Day 1; after winning the toss, they rolled over India for a paltry 192 on Day 5 after setting them an improbable target of 420.

Speaking to Sportskeeda’s Indranil Basu in an SK Live session on Facebook, More admitted that India made more mistakes than England, and paid the price for the same. He said in this regard:

“When you look at the (Indian) batsmen, the way they got out, England came in with superb planning. They read the wicket so well, better than us. We made mistakes. When we bowled to them also, we made mistakes. But full credit to England.”

Complimenting England captain Joe Root for his brilliant knock, More said:

“Their captain (Joe Root), the way he batted, he did not allow any single bowler to settle down. He took his time. Against the spinners, he was always on top. And any batters who came from the dressing room to bat, they were on top all the time. Once they went through the first couple of sessions (they dominated).”

On England’s meticulous planning for the Test, the former India stumper conceded:

“They planned for each and every batsman. When you look at all the wickets that fell for India, they came with a plan, and they got them out like that. Both the spinners and pacers bowled in good areas. That’s why they won the Test match.”

England’s batting is still vulnerable: Kiran More

Even though India lost the first Test in rather disappointing fashion, More expressed confidence of a fightback from the hosts.

India find themselves in a similar position as they did during the Australia tour, where they were hammered in the first Test in Adelaide but came back strongly to win the series.

According to More, batting is one area where India can target the Englishmen. Elaborating on the same, the 58-year-old observed:

“If you look at England’s fast bowling attack, they have Jofra (Archer), and (James) Anderson is their key fast bowler. He’s like red wine, getting better with age. (But) England’s batting is still vulnerable. Apart from the captain (Joe Root), Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, if you look at the others, all of them are very young. They are trying to make their mark in Test cricket. (But) they also batted well.”

More wants India to plan better when the teams reconvene in Chennai. He stated in this regard:

“We lacked in planning. But we can make a comeback. We are playing at home. Indian team has done that. There is enough time for them to sit down, go back to the drawing board and come back strongly in the next Test match. But yes, they (England) outplayed us in all departments (in the first Test)."

Joe Root has equalled Michael Vaughan’s record of most Test victories as England captain!He now has 26 wins in four fewer matches than Vaughan’s 51 🙌 pic.twitter.com/iFuCykscdC

— ICC (@ICC) February 9, 2021

The second India-England Test begins in Chennai on February 13.