We weren’t sharp enough: Pybus

Richard Pybus’ first day in the hot seat as Afghanistan’s head coach was a baptism by fire.

As India’s batters piled up the runs on a conducive strip, the Afghans didn’t help their cause with fielding lapses. Centurion K.L. Rahul also enjoyed a slice of good fortune when skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi chose not to review a caught-behind appeal with the opener on 16.

To make matters worse, Afghanistan could not utilise the services of left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf due to a leg injury suffered early in the second session. It all contributed to a chastening day in the field for the visitors.

“We always rue missed chances. Losing one of your main spinners immediately puts pressure on the bowling unit. It was a tough day’s cricket for us,” Pybus assessed at the end of the opening day’s play. “It’s really important that we don’t have an excuse culture. We weren’t sharp enough. We’ve got to take those opportunities,” he added.