IND vs ENG : Graham Thorpe – We need to enjoy the challenge of next innings
England’s assistant coach Graham Thorpe has stated that even though the pitch has challenged them left, right and centre, the players need to enjoy the challenge of the next innings.
After the euphoria of the first Test win – England’s first in India since 2012 – settled down, everything came crashing down in the second Test with England being bundled out for 134 in the first dig in response to India’s 329. Currently, India sit on a pile of lead, with effective lead stretching to 249 with wicket doing all sorts of tricks.
With a loss looming large, England’s assistant coach Graham Thorpe opined that it would need a special effort to save this Test but added that the players need to enjoy the challenge.
“You’d say we need something very special to happen tomorrow for us and for somebody to do something amazing with that bat,” Thorpe said in the press conference.
“We’re naturally disappointed with the deficit in the game after two days, but it’s important we don’t allow ourselves to get too down about it.
“The most important thing is our dressing-room doesn’t get too affected by today. We’ve got some players in our team touring this part of the world for the first time against a very strong Indian side.
“Just as last week when we won the first Test match and we had to work extremely hard for it, here we know we have to stand up and keep learning as well.”
“The pitch has challenged us but we need to look forward and actually enjoy the challenge of the next innings and see how they can keep moving forward and develop their games.”
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Thorpe confident of Burns doing well
One of the disappointing batsmen for England so far has been Rory Burns, who missed the Sri Lanka series with paternity leave and seemed out of place in the second innings of the first Test and the first innings of the second Test.
However, Thorpe is confident that Burns can turn things around with a nice clear mind and a positive approach to their play.
“He’s obviously missed the Sri Lanka series, come here and worked hard and I’m sure Rory would love to have posted more runs on the board. He’s a fighter and he’ll continue to do that.
“Sometimes when players don’t get the runs they want, they have to keep a nice clear mind and a positive approach to their play,” Thorpe concluded.