Rohit Sharma is almost 37 and previous his greatest: Geoffrey Boycott

Regardless of being a powerful place after having claimed 190-run first innings lead, India went all the way down to England by 28 runs within the first Take a look at of the five-match collection. Chasing 231 for victory, they have been bowled out for 202 as debutant left-arm spinner Tom Hartley picked up seven wickets.

In his column for The Day by day Telegraph, Boycott wrote that India are struggling with out Kohli and that Rohit will not be doing sufficient with the bat as captain. The opener was dismissed for twenty-four and 39 within the two innings in Hyderabad.

“This India group are ripe for the taking and England have a golden likelihood to be the primary aspect to topple them on their very own patch for 12 years. India badly miss Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja has a hamstring harm and won’t play the second Take a look at. Their captain Rohit Sharma is almost 37 and previous his greatest. He makes fairly cameos however has scored solely two Take a look at a whole lot at dwelling in 4 years,” Boycott wrote in his column.

He additionally claimed that India are weak within the discipline, referring to the 2 reprieves Ollie Pope acquired and ended up scoring 196, which turned the Take a look at match on its head.

Boycott additional praised England’s batters for the way wherein they handled the Indian spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar Patel

“England bamboozled India with their sweeps and reverse sweeps and to lose after taking a 190-run lead shall be mind-blowing for India. It has by no means occurred to them earlier than on their very own pitches the place they thought they have been invincible,” the 83-year-old additional wrote.

India will miss the providers of Jadeja and KL Rahul in Visakhapatnam within the second Take a look at as each gamers have been dominated out because of accidents. Jadeja has a hamstring subject, whereas Rahul complained of ache in his proper quadriceps.

Boycott believes that Jadeja’s absence shall be a large issue due to what he brings to the desk for the Indian group. “Jadeja is a large blow. He is a superb all-rounder, high bowler, good fielder and was their greatest batsman within the first Take a look at. Kohli is their talisman. He’s a powerful batsman who averages 60 on Indian pitches however he additionally provides them nice vitality within the discipline. He’s a giant loss and England should profit from it earlier than he comes again for the third Take a look at,” mentioned Boycott.

India have added Sarfaraz Khan, Saurabh Kumar and Washington Sundar to the squad for the second Take a look at.

–By A Cricket Correspondent