India expects a tougher pitch for the third Test at Lord’s, but batting coach Sitanshu Kotak says the team remains confident that their batters — led by the in-form captain Shubman Gill — can rise to the challenge.
India leveled the five-match series 1-1 with a commanding 336-run win at Edgbaston, where they posted massive totals of 587 and 427-6 declared across their two innings. England, looking to bounce back, may revamp their bowling attack with the possible return of Jofra Archer, who hasn’t played a Test in over four years.
“It will be a challenge if Jofra comes in,” Kotak told reporters on Tuesday. “England might want to make a couple of bowling changes. The wicket, it seems, will also be a bit more challenging. After the last two games, if they decide to roll out a more testing surface, that’s fair enough.”
Kotak noted the green tinge on the Lord’s pitch, suggesting bowlers could find more assistance and that batting may not be as free-flowing as in the earlier Tests.
“This wicket looks greener than the last two matches. But one cannot be too sure before the final trimming tomorrow,” he said. “Normally the first and second innings scores at Lord’s tend to be lower. So bowlers can expect a bit more help here.”
India’s batting, however, has been in strong form — particularly skipper Shubman Gill, who has been sensational in his first series as Test captain. He scored a century in Leeds and followed it with huge knocks of 269 and 161 at Edgbaston.
Looking ahead to Lord’s, Kotak said the key would be patience and smart shot selection.
“Our mindset here will be to avoid chasing boundaries. If you don’t play silly shots, you can build long innings on these kinds of wickets,” he concluded.
