Ajinkya Rahane has said that the Indian team are not thinking about getting under England’s skin and are focused on playing good cricket. They are taking one game at a time and don’t want to get ahead of themselves.
In the second Test, India recorded a fabulous come-from-behind win to go 1-0 up in this five-match series against England. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah to added 89-run stand for the 9th wicket to bail India out before the Indian bowlers came out all guns blazing to bowl England out in 51.5 overs. They were in a commanding position in the first Test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
This has also been a pretty heated series as far as the on-field banter and sledging is concerned. There was a lot said, especially in the second Test match at Lord’s. Jasprit Bumrah’s hostile over to James Anderson riled up the England team, and they decided to give it back to the Indian team in their second innings. Virat Kohli and co didn’t back down as they responded back in kind on day five.
Hence, there were multiple conversations that took place between the two sides. However, Ajinkya Rahane admitted that it is not something that the Indian team is focussing on:
“We are not thinking anything like that (getting under England’s skin). For us, what’s important is to play good cricket, staying at the moment and play one game at a time.
What has happened in the last game, we just have to forget, we have to take positives and move on. Because every game is really important because of the (World Test) Championship,”
Rahane was quoted saying in the press conference ahead of the third Test.
The third Test will be played at Headingley on August 25.
