00:00One up in the series, an excellent winner heading lead, do you sense a real opportunity here to take control?
00:06Yeah, obviously going one up, good start, but sort of, I guess, one of the important things for us heading into this week is starting at zero again.
00:16Yeah, we know last week was a very tough fought victory for us, obviously.
00:21Long five days, so yeah, just about, you know, as I say, getting back to zero and going again.
00:29And obviously focusing on trying to get the win here.
00:31There's another big run chase, your second highest in tests ever.
00:36What does that do for the confidence of the group and the league going forward?
00:40Yeah, I think we're confident in our abilities to be able to, you know, go out and chase runs on the board when we have to bat in the fourth innings.
00:53You know, that obviously comes from a lot of good experiences in the past over the last three, four years and being able to chase.
01:05So, yeah, obviously going out there before a ball is bold in the fourth innings, you're naturally confident.
01:10But, you know, 370 is a lot of runs and we knew we had to play very, very well to get close, if not get over the line.
01:16So, yeah, look, even more confidence from last week.
01:19But, you know, this week's a new game, a new week.
01:21So, who knows what's going to happen?
01:24How are you feeling?
01:25How's the body?
01:25Four wickets in that first innings.
01:27How close do you feel to your best at the moment?
01:31I feel better now than I did on Thursday and Friday.
01:33Yeah, I think everyone was, you know, sort of very tired from that week.
01:41It was a big week.
01:42You know, we were in the field and bowled four out of the five days.
01:45So, yeah, big week for everyone.
01:49You know, used the three days after that game to offer absolutely nothing to the world.
01:55I was, yeah, I was a shadow of my normal self.
02:00But, yeah, that just goes to show how much, you know, a five-day test match takes out of you.
02:05But, yeah, I was pretty tired, but all over that now and ready to go tomorrow.
02:09Are you feeling like you are getting back to your best?
02:11Is your confidence high?
02:14Yeah, I felt great going into the game.
02:17I've done everything, you know, possible to not have to worry about anything outside of what you normally worry about.
02:25But, you know, coming out of that game, feeling good and, you know, all of my spells rhythm-wise,
02:31being able to back up spells throughout the day, thought I managed to maintain my pace,
02:36which was one of the things that I obviously wanted to also concentrate on.
02:39But, yeah, ball coming out nicely, bowling for 35 overs as well.
02:43So, yeah, it was a good week last week.
02:45So, hopefully we can produce something similar this week.
02:47You've known the unchanged team.
02:48Geoff Rarcher is with the group.
02:50What's the thinking in terms of his return to test quickly going forward?
02:53Yeah, first and foremost, I think it's been a long time since Geoff's been in the test environment.
03:00You know, he's been playing a lot of white ball cricket for England over the last couple of years.
03:04So, to have him back with us here after, you know, such a long time is, you know,
03:10I think first and foremost great for him, great for the team.
03:14And, yeah, look, we'll be, I think it's very important for Geoff to be around the group this week.
03:22It's been a long time for him, and the last time he was in the test dressing room,
03:26obviously that was, you know, in a different, under a different regime.
03:30So, you know, I felt it was important, even if he didn't get selected this week,
03:35that he spends time around the group because, you know, I think hopefully that we will see him play a part
03:43in this series going forward.
03:45So, you know, that time spent with Geoff, you know, with the other individuals in this group
03:49is, you know, very important for the rest of the series, you know,
03:53not just the performances out on the field as well.
03:55You've faced him in nets, how's he looking, and can he get back to the level that we've seen him
03:59with a red ball in years from last?
04:02Yeah, look, red ball, white ball, we all know that he is an incredibly gifted cricketer.
04:09You know, we've seen him when he walks out onto the field for England,
04:12when he's got that ball in his hands, the whole atmosphere of the game just changes
04:16regardless of what situation he's in.
04:19And, yeah, facing him in the nets there, you've got the, you know, ball swinging quite nicely
04:24and just, you know, effortless pace.
04:26And it's been a while since I've faced him, so there's a little bit of a wake-up call for me as well.
04:30But, yeah, no, I think just, first of all, it's great to have Geoff back in the dressing room
04:34and, you know, really excited for him to be where he is right now.
04:39Ben, hitting you with another great example of just how exciting you make as cricket.
04:42And, you know, when we're covering this match, it's fantastic to be able to say,
04:46here we are at the end of the fifth day and everything's on the line.
04:50Creating that atmosphere for any player, but I suppose especially like Geoffrey,
04:54do you think that increases his determination and his desire to be a Test matcher fast forward again?
05:02Look, I know Geoff, obviously, a lot better than, you know, you guys sat down here.
05:08You know, I've been in, you know, constant communication with him over, you know,
05:12since the injury troubles hit him.
05:15And I said it a few times, you know, he was so determined to get back and play in Test cricket,
05:21well, to make himself available to be selected.
05:24And so, look, he didn't need any more reason to find any more desire.
05:30He loves playing cricket.
05:31He loves playing for England.
05:33And for him, yeah, to be here now, you know,
05:36I don't think you could really explain what needs to give Geoffrey Archer any more desire
05:43to get back out on the field and represent England in the Test arena.
05:47And you've turned off here today, and then Moeen Ali was here yesterday,
05:51I think specifically working a lot with Shorif Bashir.
05:53I mean, it's obvious saying those two guys could bring a lot to the group,
05:57but specifically for you as captain, what's the value in those guys being around the team
06:01in the field after this match?
06:02To the question around myself, in the nicest way possible,
06:10we don't really speak about anything like that, really.
06:13But, look, it's been, you know, a constant thing for us to get, you know,
06:19some of the greats who are represented in England into the environment, you know,
06:22helping out.
06:23Because those conversations we have around the nets, you know,
06:27just natural conversations that you do have with these people when they do come in
06:31are so invaluable to players.
06:33You know, it's amazing how many good conversations you can have, you know,
06:37in a social environment.
06:39It doesn't always have to be in a board room or around the table
06:43talking about specific things because those conversations that sort of just
06:47come out of nothing are just as important.
06:50So, you know, I know you've seen it over the years where we will get some of the guys
06:55who have represented England and done a lot of good things out in the field
06:57into the environment.
06:58And I think it's great for Bash to – amazing.
07:02They've never met until yesterday, which I found amazing.
07:05So, look, Bash was absolutely buzzing.
07:08They only got to spend time with Morinelli yesterday.
07:11Yeah, so the more times that we can get people like that into the dressing room
07:16and offering their advice to specific individuals is, you know,
07:19I think great for this team.
07:20Just finally for me quickly, I think over the years I've been saying
07:23that England players have always enjoyed coming to Birmingham
07:25and there's something maybe about the edge of some atmosphere,
07:28which is maybe a little different to whether Testwatches will both be great,
07:31get great support wherever you are.
07:32Do you feel that, Ben?
07:33Is there a different feel that gives you something extra coming to this ground?
07:37Yeah, I think regardless when we play here, the atmosphere is awesome,
07:43especially when the Hollies gets going at around 4.30 in the evening for obvious reasons.
07:50But we know when – sometimes when we do come here and it's England v. India,
07:54it's like 50-50 with the support, which adds to the spectacle of this week.
07:59But, yeah, we all love playing at Edgbaston.
08:02The atmosphere is awesome and, you know, we've got a pretty good record here.
08:07So we always enjoy the week.
08:09Food's great as well, so that helps.
08:11OK, we've got Rory, Julian, and then we'll take two at the front here, please.
08:15Ben, if I just ask you about Rishabh Pamp,
08:17obviously he enjoyed a bit of success ahead of me against you within a win for you guys.
08:22You know, you seem to – I don't know, I think there's a bit about you
08:25that might have enjoyed the way he came at you.
08:28You had that bit where he came down the track at you
08:29and you had a good laugh with him.
08:31How do you sort of sum up that battle that's going to unfold over the last few weeks?
08:34Yeah, even though he's in my position,
08:36I absolutely love watching Rishabh play cricket.
08:38I love the way he takes it on in all four months of the game.
08:43You know, he's come under – he's got a bit of stick in his time,
08:46but, like, that type of talent, yeah, just, you know,
08:52when you let that type of talent be free, that's what can happen, you know, last week.
08:55But, yeah, it's one of them when you look back on last week
08:59and, you know, credit to him, 200s in the game.
09:02Sort of, you know, we know we're going to get our chances
09:04with the way that Rishabh plays.
09:07So, yeah, it's one of them.
09:10On a different day, it could have looked a little bit different
09:12if one of those, you know, had gone straight up and to hand.
09:15But, yeah, very dangerous player.
09:17We know what he brings to the Indian team,
09:19but I really enjoy watching Rishabh play cricket.
09:22And you presume you'd kind of like it to come at you again?
09:25I don't think there's going to be much change
09:27in the way that Rishabh takes it on, which, yeah.
09:32Julian?
09:33Yeah.
09:34Obviously, it's relatively new-looking to your side.
09:37Having played a game against them now,
09:39what do you make of them overall as a team?
09:41What are you expecting from them this week?
09:43Good team.
09:44And, yeah, they always fight hard, come hard.
09:51Very passionate team.
09:55You know, I think it's pretty clear that there's always pressure
10:00on shoulders of international sportsmen,
10:02but playing for India, especially in cricket,
10:05you know, there's probably a bit more on any other nation.
10:08So, yeah, look, very proud nation.
10:11Don't take anything for granted from last week.
10:13As I said, you know, we start at zero again.
10:17And, yeah, we try to put in a performance
10:19that hopefully can take us 2-0 up in the series.
10:24I'm going to finish off these two here.
10:26Go ahead.
10:27Ben, I'd like to get your opinion
10:29regarding this India strategy of declaring prior to the series
10:32that Rumbla will play three test matches.
10:34As an opponent team,
10:35while making a game plan for this series,
10:38does this announcement make things easier for you guys comparatively?
10:43If they have probably did not announce and keep you guys guessing
10:47which match he would play and which match he would play?
10:49That's India's problem to deal with.
10:53Captain of England let India decide what they want to do
10:58and what they want to say publicly.
10:59Last one here, please.
11:01Ben, you talked about a long week last week.
11:06Managing the fast moves on this type of tracks
11:09when you're expected to play all five days back to back.
11:12So how do you do that?
11:13How do you keep them going?
11:15Because there's a lot of talk about it in the camp
11:18about workload management.
11:20How do you see the places playing a role
11:22of going forward in the series on this kind of tracks?
11:25Yeah, I think the time off in between games is so, so important.
11:32That's where you recharge your body,
11:35where you get yourself back into a position to feel fresh again.
11:39We went all the way to the end of last week
11:44and the most important thing for us as a group
11:48and obviously for the bowlers in particular
11:49because it was a tough week
11:50was getting them come Wednesday that they're fresh.
11:55So we had training on Sunday scheduled
11:59but because we'd bowled so much
12:01and we'd spent so much time in the field
12:02that we felt that extra day off
12:04was the most important thing to make sure
12:07that when we turn up on Wednesday
12:08that we're not too overcooked again.
12:11Bowlers bowled their overs in the field for a long time.
12:15So, yeah, look, as much as training
12:18is where you always try and get yourself better
12:22like time off and recharging the batteries
12:25and getting the body fresh again
12:26that should never ever be underestimated
12:28especially in a five-map series.
12:31In particular when games two and three are back-to-back
12:34there's not much time off in between those
12:36so you've got to use your time wisely.
12:37Okay, thanks, Ben.
12:39Thanks, everyone.
12:40There's the UK written just around this corner.
