"Captaincy will be brilliant in the next match" - Irfan Pathan backs Rohit Sharma to bounce back in IND vs ENG 2nd Test

Irfan Pathan admitted that Team India skipper Rohit Sharma was not at his tactical best during the recently concluded Test series opener against Hyderabad, where the Men in Blue slumped to a 28-run loss.

Sharma received a lot of flak for his captaincy, with a few former English cricketers suggesting he wasn't very proactive. Pathan, however, backed the seasoned campaigner to make amends by turning things around in the upcoming second Test.

The cricketer-turned-commentator also seemed confident of the hosts winning the encounter, despite injury scares to senior players Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul. During an interview with Sports Today, Pathan said:

"Rohit Sharma's captaincy was not up to the mark. There were a few players who were set; they could have looked to convert those starts into big scores. Our bowling could also have been better. However, I am confident that Rohit Sharma's captaincy will be brilliant in the next match and we will make a comeback, despite the fact that we have a lot of problems with some of our key players being injured."

The 39-year-old also suggested that England should not take India lightly following their triumph in Hyderabad, adding:

"England have hinted that they might play four spinners. Do that if you want to. Yes, you won the first match, but that doesn't mean that you have won the series."

Rohit Sharma and Co. failed to chase down a 231-run target in the first Test, getting bundled out for 202 on Day 4. For England, Ollie Pope's 196-run knock in their team's second innings swung the pendulum in their favor, while it was debutant spinner Tom Hartley's seven-wicket haul that took them home in the fourth innings.

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"My prediction had always been 4-1 or 4-0" - Irfan Pathan confident of India winning the Test series against England

Irfan Pathan also mentioned that he had never predicted that India would complete a 5-0 clean sweep against England. He stated that he had always felt that the home team would win by 4-1 or 4-0.

Calling England a formidable team that plays Test cricket with an impressive approach, Pathan added:

"My prediction had always been 4-1 or 4-0 in India's favour. So, they have already won that one match. England is a very strong opponent, and every team comes to India well-prepared and with the hope of winning. Their approach to playing Test cricket has also been very good."

The second Test of the five-match series will be played at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam from February 2 to 6.