Watch: India's KS Bharat says batters practised sweeps in training, have plans to counter England

Amidst the challenges posed by injuries in the Indian camp, wicketkeeper K S Bharat exuded confidence and assured fans that there is no panic within the team. As the home side gears up for the second Test against England, Bharat revealed the implementation of fresh plans to counter England's attacking strategy, including the incorporation of sweep shots.

Playing in front of his home crowd, Bharat acknowledged England's stellar performance in the series opener, especially the aggressive approach led by Ollie Pope. The English batters disrupted the Indian spinners' plans with a barrage of sweeps and reverse sweeps, securing a remarkable comeback victory by 28 runs.

"In our team meetings, we spoke about the things we could have done better, and yes, we certainly have a few plans. (We are) definitely looking at the way how they went about the first game, playing some reverse. That's something we have definitely worked on," Bharat stated during the pre-match press conference.

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The absence of star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and top batter K L Rahul due to injuries has prompted the Indian team to refine their strategies. Bharat emphasized that the team is prepared to adapt its batting approach based on the situation.

While Indian batters traditionally don't rely heavily on sweep shots, Bharat mentioned their practice sessions focused on this technique ahead of the second Test. He clarified that the batting strategy would be determined by the team's needs, emphasizing the importance of batting with freedom.

After a surprising second innings in Hyderabad where Indian batters faced challenges from the relatively inexperienced Tom Hartley, Bharat defended their effort.

"We don't play the bowlers, we play the ball. On any given day, it can be experienced or inexperienced (bowler), there is nothing like inexperienced in cricket. On that particular day, if someone bowls well, you have to give credit to them.

"After the game, the atmosphere is absolutely relaxed. They told us not to panic, which we are not. But then the instruction is very clear, it's a long Test series and we have played a lot of series like this in the past," he said.

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(With PTI and AP inputs)