Former cricketer Ravi Shastri on Friday advised team India to bat at least two more sessions on day 4 to save the first and ongoing Test match against England in Rajkot.
“Team India need to bat at least two more sessions on day 4 of the first Test match as it will decide the course of the game,” Shastri said on India TV’s special show ‘Cricket Ki Baat’.
Shastri also heaped praises on Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay for scoring superb centuries to put India back into the game after losing opener Gautam Gambhir early on day 3.
Earlier in the day, Vijay played a typically gritty innings of 126 in 301 balls, while one-down batsman Pujara compiled a more aggressive 124 in 206 balls.
The duo forged a huge second-wicket stand of 209 to help India give an apt reply to England's massive first innings score of 537.
On being asked about the DRS system which saved Pujara on the vital stage of his innings, to that Ravi said: “All cricket lovers in India will be grateful to DRS today.”
Pujara was ruled LBW on 86 but the TV umpire overturned the decision after the batsman made a call of going for a review.
England fought back later in the day by dismissing the well-set Vijay, who hit nine fours and four sixes in his marathon 485-minute innings, and night watchman Amit Mishra (0) in the space of four balls.
At stumps, India had replied with 319 for four, still 218 runs behind the visitors' tally with six wickets in hand on a track that showed some signs of wear and tear but did not hold many terrors for the Indian batsmen.
