It's high time that India thinks of putting a specialist in gully, slip area: Bangar

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) Ahead of the second Test against England in Birmingham, starting Wednesday, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar shared his insights on how Gill and Co. can bounce back by sharpening close-in fielding and said the visitors real focus on developing a best catcher in the gully and slips, area where a lot of those catches go.

Despite posting a combined 835 runs across their two innings, India’s bowling attack, barring Jasprit Bumrah, failed to impose themselves on the English batters. After being ahead of England in most of the sessions in the first Test match, India failed to capitalise on the advantage on the final day and close out a win, with the hosts securing a five-wicket victory on the back of Ben Duckett's 149.

"The best way to win this particular Test match is by looking at the combination. And that's why I believe that if the top order and the middle order performed so well for India in the first Test match, then I don't think the team management should really worry about who is going to give you runs at number eight," Bangar said.

"So play a proper bowler at number eight, and that could really improve the chance of India winning the Test match. Because 470 or whatever runs that India got in the first innings, the target that they set in the fourth innings was still a sufficient number of runs for the team to have bowled England out twice. So I think the onus should be on the bowling department that have another bowler, but try and bowl out England twice," he added.

India’s loss was especially frustrating due to a dismal fielding display. The team dropped eight catches — the third-most they’ve ever spilled in a Test match. Yashasvi Jaiswal was at the center of the struggles, accounting for half of the missed chances. He put down three in the slip cordon (at third slip, fourth slip, and gully) and another in the outfield.

Speaking about the importance of not dropping catches, Bangar said, "It’s very important to not drop catches. It makes the job of the bowling department that much more tougher. But here I would say that this is also a fresh step forward for India. And wherever Yashasvi actually fields—basically, gully is a position in cricket which is a very, very specialised position. And that's where I think India will have to invest in a particular player to master the catching part in the gully area."

"Because I don't really remember too many great players who were consistently staying in the gully area. In my memory, Anil Kumble did that really well for India when he was playing. Ajinkya Rahane made that spot his own. But after that, there has to be real focus on developing a good gully fielder. Because that's where a lot of catches go. And it's a position that should actually go to your best fielder.

"As we say that the point fielder has to be your best fielder. But your best catcher actually has to be slightly wider in the slip cordon—maybe that four-slip area or even the gully region. And that's where a lot of those catches go.

"And it's high time that India thinks of putting a specialist there. And maybe that responsibility will have to be taken by somebody who's done the role of slip catcher for a long, long period of time," he added.

--IANS

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