India's batting coach defended the final score of 201 against South Africa in the first Test by stating that given the nature of the wicket, it is worth much more.
"It's a very challenging wicket not easy or difficult. Run making is not easy but 201 worth far more than what it looks like on the scoreboard," he said.
On a track which saw India score at a run rate of less than 3 and South Africa at less than two, he was asked who this pitch is helping the most. "Competitive cricket is wherein a batsman and a bowler or bat and the ball have equal opportunity. So, by a good wicket or a batting paradise doesn't mean that the crowd comes in purely for the fun of watching runs being made. I feel bowlers have to get a chance and bowlers do have the upper hand with this track and the batsman have to cope with it," said the former all rounder.
With bowlers dominating the first day, save for Murali Vijay (75) and Ravindra Jadeja (38), he alleged that runs can be made on this wicket but it needs patience. "Runs can be made on this wicket as it was shown by Vijay and then when he and Cheteshwar Pujara (31) were batting. Or even when Ajinkya (Rahne) and Vijay were batting. It's slightly slow after pitching," he commented on nature of pitch.
Asked what is required, technically, for batsmen to do well, he gave away three tips: "3 things are crucial for such tracks: having a good defense, not being too concerned by the close in catchers, using your feet well against the spin and also using the depth of the crease whenever that opportunity arises. Vijay, Pujara and Rahane were able to do that by going on the backfoot to punch it to the offside. Those are skills that are required where batsmen are tested against spin."