Unlucky to have missed out on hat-trick: Roach

After dismissing opener Mayank Agarwal (5) before lunch on the third day of the second Test, Roach came out firing on all cylinders and removed KL Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli off successive balls to be on the verge of a hat-trick in India’s second innings on Sunday.

It was so near yet so far for Roach as Ajinkya Rahane narrowly edged the hat-trick ball towards the stumps, only to see it miss by an inch. Roach said with a little bit of luck on his side, he could have entered the record books.

“Of course,” Roach said when asked if, for a second, he thought he had got the hat-trick. Inside edge and missing the stumps. “A bit unlucky but I am pretty happy with what happened. It was a good feeling. Obviously, the Indian batting line-up is very strong, so to be on a hat-trick against those guys is obviously a good feeling. I’d have liked to get it, but a little more luck the next time it hits on the stumps and it will go my way, but I am pretty happy for what happened,” he said.

Roach said even though he couldn’t register the hat-trick, he considers his efforts in the ongoing second Test as a great achievement. “I think as a bowling group there is satisfaction in how we have done so far. Kudos to the guys. Happy for myself to be, obviously, be among some of the greats, so it’s a great achievement for me as well,” he said.

Roach said it won’t be easy for the home team against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma.

“It’s flattened out a bit more. It’s not as bouncy as it was the first couple of days,” he said. “There is still enough there for the bowlers. Still have to apply yourself as a batsman and have to grind and get that score, but I think once you get in it gets way easier - so it’s all about the guys being positive and grinding and obviously getting the score.” Roach said if needed he is ready to contribute with the bat as well. “Yeah, obviously I am pretty confident with the bat recently. Just backing my ability, trust my talent and go there and hit the ball. I have been doing it pretty well and pretty proud of that,” he said.

“I just keep it simple for me - I know my shots and I just wait for the balls to come in that area.