NEW DELHI: India´s media on Monday lashed out at “abysmal batting” that ledto a crushing innings defeat by England in the second Test at Lord´s.
Mail Today called India´s performance a “humiliating defeat” while TheHindu newspaper´s headline said, “Another abysmal batting display sendsIndia to its doom” after the team were bowled out for 107 and 130.
The tourists lost by an innings and 159 runs to go 2-0 down in thefive-Test series.
Indian writers lambasted India´s batsmen while hailing England´s pacespearhead James Anderson who took nine wickets in the match.
A Hindustan Times headline read: “India shamed at Lord´s as batsmensurrender again”.
“For the World No.1 Test team that vowed to play aggressive cricket, itscredentials in tough overseas conditions lay tattered amid a battingcrisis,” the newspaper added.
The Times of India headlined its story “India turn paupers at Lord´s.” Ithailed Anderson as England´s “crafty maestro.”
While India´s captain Virat Kohli offered no excuses for the capitulation,Indian commentators highlighted how the Indian top order has faltered inall four Test innings so far with opener Murali Vijay getting a pair atLord´s and Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara failing to fire.
Former Test batsman VVS Laxman said on Twitter that “caught in unfavourableconditions, not reading what the opposition threw, saw India lose theLord´s Test tamely without showing a fight.
“Hopefully lessons are learned quickly and the rest of the batsmen startapplying themselves going forward.”
Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle said: “The new ball is a big factoroverseas. When the openers blunt the new ball, they give life to the middleorder.
“India is getting nothing from its openers and that is where the comebackif there is one, has to start.”
The third Test starts at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Saturday.