England Spinner Tom Hartley shared his experience by conceding a six against Yashasvi Jaiswal on the first ball of his Test career. Tom Hartley said Yashasvi Jaiswal was not the first batsman and would not be the last to take an aggressive approach against him.
The Ben Stokes-led team posted a total of 246 in their first innings after opting to bat first. Tom Hartley bowled the second over in India’s innings, and Yashasvi Jaiswal slogged a six over mid-wicket. The spinner also conceded another six in his opening.
The 24-year-old struggled with consistency and took two wickets for 131 runs in 25 overs in the first innings, dismissing Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. However, he managed to bowl the match in the next innings, helping England register a victory.
The left-arm spinner picked up seven wickets for 62 runs in the fourth innings, restricting the opposition to 202 runs. The visiting team secured a 28-run victory in Hyderabad. The England team took an unassailable 1-0 lead in the ongoing five-match red ball series.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is not the first and he will not be the last – Tom Hartley
Addressing Yashasvi Jaiswal’s aggressive approach, Tom Hartley he recognized the inevitability of being targeted by hitters. Hartley emphasized that facing these types of situations is inherent to his character and emphasized the need to have a strong mentality.
“It’s not the first and it won’t be the last! As a spinner, people will chase you. I’m fine with it if people want to come after me. Somehow I have to adopt a different mindset. You look at the ball again and think it wasn’t a bad ball. If that’s the way they want to play, you just have to play with it.” Hartley told ESPNcricinfo.
Could have a big role – Tom Hartley
Tom Hartley emphasized the importance of slowing down the pace to preserve your bowling action effectively. Hartley expressed his eagerness to play a larger role, affirming his readiness and enthusiasm for the upcoming challenges.
“When you play for the first time, you run a little faster. And you think, well, just slow things down, let your action do the work. When I run fast, I tend to lose the action a bit. “I just slowed it down and kept it simple, and it seemed to work.” Hartley further stated.
“Coming here, I was just looking to get a game or a couple of games. I may have a big role, but I’m more than ready for it. I want more of that.” He concluded.
England are likely to stick with the same spin bowling attack for the next match, barring injury concerns. However, there is a possibility of James Anderson returning to the team for the second match, scheduled to be played in Visakhapatnam from February 2.
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