Need good, determined effort from batters tomorrow: Kirsten

Expressing concern over India's precarious position in the first Test against Sri Lanka here, coach Gary Kirsten today said the batsmen need to produce a determined and concentrated effort tomorrow in order to save the match.

Addressing the media after the fourth day's play with India at 190/2 in their second innings, facing a deficit of 334 runs in the first innings, Kirsten said,''We would have taken 190 for two at the start of the innings if someone had told us you'll will reach 190, though maybe we would have liked to have lost one wicket less.

''The wicket has not changed in the last four days and we are hoping it remains the same tomorrow and provides our batsmen the same conditions in our quest to save this Test match.

''We need to play according to the situation with a big determined and concentrated effort by our batsmen tomorrow to save the match,'' he added.

Kirsten also added that the batsmen have the skill to bat out the entire day tomorrow what and all that is needed is a concentrated and determined effort. ''We however, will still have to do it,'' he added.

On being too positive today, Kirsten said,''Our batsmen have to strike a good balance between being defensive and being positive. We also need to wipe out the deficit as early as possible to give us a chance to save the match. In that sense reaching 190 today is good and we need to do the same, play a risk free game without sacrificing our natural instincts. Someone will have to bat 70 to 80 overs tomorrow to save the match.'' Kirsten also did not put too much blame on the bowlers, saying that the wicket was a total batsman's paradise. ''We did not bowl that badly. The conditions were very tough and you also have to give credit to way the Sri Lankan batsmen played. Mahela is a class player and he usually does to throw his wicket after getting to a hundred,'' he stated.

On Virender Sehwag having a rush of blood and throwing his wicket away, the South African born Indian coach said,''We know Viru (Sehwag) plays in this way only. We take it when he gives us explosive starts, so we also have to take this when he plays a loose shot. That is part of his cricket and we have accepted that.''

-- (UNI) -- 19SPD46.xml

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