By IANS
Melbourne : A day after India lost the first Test to Australia by a huge margin of 337 runs, team manager Lalchand Rajput said Sunday his team will bounce back in the second Test in Sydney, starting Wednesday.
“This is nothing new for us because the Australians are always one-up in the mind game and we are used to it. But definitely this is one Test we have lost, but we will come back strongly in the next game,” Rajput told reporters here.
The team manager, contrary to the claim of captain Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, said he did not believe that lack of practice games cost them the Tets.
“Well, I don’t believe in that because this fixture was done already a year before, and we were all aware of it. So, I don’t think that looking on the hindsight that we should have enough practice. And as international cricketers, they have to adapt quickly to the prevailing situations wherever it may be,” said Rajput.
He added that it would be very important for the Indian team to overcome the disappointment of losing the first Test.
“When we started the match, we had to be in the frame of mind where we had to be very positive. The start was very crucial, which we never got and that put a lot of pressure on us, and I am sure we will overcome that.
“There are two strategies in cricket: one is defensive and the other is offensive. In the first Test, we were defensive but will come back very strongly in the next Test because we have some strategy which we cannot reveal to you now. But definitely, we will be back strongly,” he said.
Rajput also said that there wouldn’t be drastic changes in the side for the second Test in Sydney.
“We have to give the credit to the Australian bowlers. They bowled in the right areas and that’s very important. Once you lose the first game, there is no need for drastic changes but definitely we will be trying to improve our aggression on the ground, intensity on field and our approach.
“This is the side which has been doing well over the last couple of years and we have done very well in West Indies, England and in India,” he said.
Rajput also said that the tour game, which was ruined by rain, didn’t help his team to the Australian conditions.
“I think the first game was always going to be tough for us. But I am sure our players knew it and will come back strongly,” he said.