Ashwin confident India will bat better in second innings

After an arduous day in the field on Saturday, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin conceded that India had a bad day in office but expressed confidence that the team's batsmen would fare better in the second innings of the fifth Test against England.

The hosts finished Day 2 on 385 for 7, in reply to the India’s first innings total of 148 runs, a lead of 237.

- Scorecard

"The sun came out today and the pitch had flattened out a bit. We toiled through the day and gave our best today. It is about confidence at the end of the day and also enjoying the game we all love so much," said Ashwin, at the end of the day’s play.

"So we were talking in the field today that we can do a better job in the second innings. Everybody has a bad day," he added.

Ashwin picked two wickets in the post-lunch session as England slumped from 191-1 to 204-4 and it appeared as if India would be able to wriggle their way back into the game.

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He was at the centre of action in that period of play, bagging his first overseas Test wicket since 2011-12.

"While I was out of the playing eleven, I have worked on my action a bit more. I am trying to get more side-on. I also try and stay as balance as possible and have been working at these small details," said Ashwin, who took two wickets for 55 runs on Saturday.

"I try to be the best possible cricketer I can. I got a good spell in today though I did not really start too well. I felt like I was slipping and then I came back in the lunch break. I looked at the videos and took some feedback on what I could be doing wrong and the speeds I bowled out there," he added. 

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Joe Root though stood in India's way once again and struck his fourth consecutive half-century in the series to defy the visiting bowlers. He also scored a hundred in the first Test at Nottingham.

Ashwin was full of praise for both Root and team-mate Varun Aaron.

"He (Root) is a hard competitor and I love to compete against him, and love to go against him again and again,” said Ashwin.

"Varun Aaron was charging in throughout the day and he bowled quick. I think he was touching 90 all day long and that is what Test cricket is all about. Tomorrow he will come back and bowl another such spell."

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India could have done better had they not spilled chances in the slips, which is becoming a sort of habit for the team in every match.

"Confidence is the keyword here; as you catch more and more you get confident. When you drop one you feel horrible. (Murali) Vijay put one down and then he caught one and he was so happy that he almost wanted to throw the ball up.

"So we are working hard at slip catching and trying different options there. As a young team we are working at addressing this," Ashwin said.