Sanjay Manjrekar points out the selection mistake Team India made in the Test series

Team India had the potential to level the series after being 0-2 down in the five-match Test series. But they failed to latch on to the key moments during the fourth Test and succumbed to the pressure in their second innings while chasing a stiff target of 245 runs. Apart from Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, none of the batsmen applied themselves to eventually lose the series. However, post the loss, Sanjay Manjrekar has pointed out a selection mistake which India kept making in every Test match in this series.

Their bowling attack has been menacing right through the series and barring the Lord’s Test, the bowlers have managed to bundle out England twice. This time around it was the batsmen who underperformed significantly and it cost them the series in the end. The only game in which most of them batted well was at Trent Bridge, the game which the visitors won comfortably.

What is the mistake?

After a 60-run loss in Southampton, the cricket experts are arguing if Team India would’ve played an extra batsman in the Test series. This option could’ve been explored mid-way through the series as the lead pace bowlers were doing enough to pick 20 England wickets. But the team management and Virat Kohli persisted with a similar combination and played five batsmen and a wicket-keeper to go with a couple of all-rounders in Hardik Pandya and Ravi Ashwin which didn’t work.

Sanjay Manjrekar also pointed out the same mistake in his latest tweet on his official handle and felt that India needed 6 pure batsmen in these conditions. “India also paid a heavy price for one selection mistake they kept making every Test. Not having an additional, pure batsman as batting reinforcement,” his tweet read.

As it stands now, they have lost the series and it remains to be seen if any changes will be made in the fifth and final Test at Kennington Oval which will begin on September 7.

Here’s his tweet:

India also paid a heavy price for one selection mistake they kept making every Test. Not having an additional, pure batsmen as batting reinforcement.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) September 3, 2018

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