Image Credit- AP
Over the course of the first Test’s four days in
Hyderabad, Tom Hartley experienced more highs and lows than any other player.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, the opener, carted Hartley’s maiden
delivery in Test cricket over long-on for six. He took the ninth wicket of the
match with his 308th and most recent spin, which went past an approaching
Mohammed Siraj. His incredible second-inning stats of 7 for 62—the first
seven-for by a rookie spinner for England since Jim Laker in 1948—rounded out
the game and ensured a historic victory for England by a margin of 28 runs.
“He’s not the first, and he won’t be the
last!” Hartley joked, as he recalled the manner in which Jaiswal had
dispatched his maiden delivery.
“As a spinner, people are going to come after
you,” he added. “I’m fine with it if people want to come after me. I
sort of have to go into a different mind-set. You look back at the ball and you
think it wasn’t a bad ball. If that’s the way they want to play, you’ve just
got to play with it.”
It is a refreshingly pragmatic view, aided no doubt by
the fact that the first ball, first day, and first innings of 2 for 131 that
was previously chastening are now academic. However, the 24-year-old’s
viewpoint has also been hardwired by playing white-ball cricket.
Hartley, who is still relatively new to the
first-class game having only made 21 appearances, has played in 82 T20 matches.
Everyone has arrived in support of Manchester or Lancashire Originals.
Hartley took advise to heart and followed through on
it even during the Test. Assistant coach Jeetan Patel advised him to quicken
his run-up after that uneasy start.
“When you’re playing for the first time you just
run up that bit quick,” Hartley said. “And you think, well, just slow
things down, let your action do the work. When I run in quick, I just tend to
lose my action a bit. I just slowed it down and kept it simple, and it seemed
to work.”
with distinct surfaces and an upcoming India lineup
that begins on Friday in Visakhapatnam. Hartley will need to do additional
studying and adjusting. Having overcome the initial challenge, he is optimistic
about the future.
“Coming out here, I was just looking to get a
game or a couple of games. I might have a big role, but I’m more than ready for
that. I want more of it.”