Former England captain Kevin Pietersen’s prediction about Day 4 of the Hyderabad Test went viral after the Ben Stokes-led side won the series opener by 28 runs. Pietersen had predicted that India would be seven wickets down on Day 4 afternoon with 50 more runs to win.
“It’s a marathon and not a sprint! Englands session by a LONG WAY. If England win this session, this Test is alive,” Stokes wrote on X on January 27.
“And for the sake of Test cricket, I hope we’re here tomorrow afternoon with India needing 50 to win and 7 wickets down! A grandstand finish on a Sunday please!”
Many followers replied to Pietersen saying that it won’t happen. However, on Day 4, debutant left-arm spinner Tom Hartley spun a web around Indian batters. India lost seven wickets for 119 in the 41st over. Ravichandran Ashwin and Srikar Bharat did damage control and accelerated towards the end of the day’s play. But Hartley was able to break the partnership with Bharat’s wicket. Before Bharat was dismissed, India were 176/7, still needing 55 runs.
Hartley ended up picking a seven-wicket haul to help England take a 1-0 lead in the series.
On Day 4, Pietersen also criticised Shubman Gill’s technique as he departed for a duck. He said that head coach Rahul Dravid should have a conversation with Gill.
“Shubman Gill has somebody in the dressing room now who changed my game, Rahul Dravid. So, I would say to Rahul Dravid, and I don’t know how much of the broadcast he watches, please go and spend time with Gill and do the same stuff that he talked to me about. Go and get him hitting the ball through the offside. Practicing, picking links better, rotating strikes, doing things that will make him a better player because he has a quality player in Shubman Gill in his dressing room,” the 43-year-old said.
Pietersen wants Gill to take up the attacking role and add more shots instead of defending.
“And I’m not disappointed in the way that he got out. I’m just disappointed in the fact that he hasn’t got that ability yet, but he’s still a kid. Give him that ability. Give him that structure, and play the attacking shots that he has got in his armoury. We’ve seen some of those beautiful innings, but if he rotates strike and he learns from Rahul Dravid, who needs to just take him under his wing and say, young man, this is how you do it, the world is his oyster,” he added.
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