TimesofIndia.com in London: As India head into the third Test at Lord’s riding high on confidence after their historic win at Edgbaston, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has weighed in on the conditions and the mindset needed for success in London.Speaking ahead of the match, Kotak offered insight into the nature of the Lord’s surface. “Pitch is very green. We will get an idea after they cut the grass tomorrow. Can expect help for bowlers… mindset will be key for the batters,” he told reporters on Tuesday.India thrashed England by 336 runs in the second Test at Birmingham, claiming their first-ever Test victory at Edgbaston and levelling the five-match series 1-1. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Despite the green top expected at Lord’s, Kotak believes his batters are well-equipped to adapt.“Indian batters are very skilled, without doing anything extra, they are scoring close to four,” he said.Kotak refused to take personal credit for the team’s recent batting success: “I would not like to take credit for batters scoring runs, it is them. This wicket will be challenging, but not thinking too much about it.”
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Reflecting on conditions so far in the series, he dismissed comparisons to subcontinent pitches. “Our bowlers used well. The ball moved when our bowlers bowled. I don’t think this was subcontinent-type pitches,” he added.On the standout performance of Shubman Gill, who led from the front with scores of 269 and 161 in the previous Test, Kotak praised both his mindset and technique, noting, “Nothing has changed because of captaincy. Mindset has been good – wants to spend time, he has the skill to put loose balls away. There have been technical changes which he has done.”With momentum firmly on their side, India will look to carry their dominant form into Lord’s, where both the pitch and the opposition are expected to test their resolve.
