'If they dare...' Bishan Bedi backs India to chase down total, fans go nostalgic remembering Sehwag

Former Indian skipper Bishan Singh Bedi has backed Team India to chase down the remaining 381 runs on the final day of the first Test against England highlighting the 'cautious approach' of the visiting team. England didn't declare till the time they didn't get all out even when their lead was 350-plus when their skipper Joe Root had got out at team's score of around 100.

The two local off-spinner Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin starred for the hosts, one with the bat and one with the ball. Earlier, Sundar's 85 helped India reduce the deficit in the first innings and Ashwin's 6-wicket haul helped India bowl out England for just 178 in the second innings. This meant India had to chase a mountain of 420 runs to win the game.

Bedi said that if India dare and take the initiative, it could make for a tremendous fifth day's cricket at Chepauk. Taking to Twitter, Bedi wrote, "England is seemingly petrified of forcing a win...typically English ‘caution first’ approach...I could well be barking up the wrong tree..but Indians can, if they dare, take the initiative & make a momentous 5th Day at Chepauk..sadly sans spectators.!Test Cricket still rules..ok?!! (sic)."

England is seemingly petrified of forcing a win...typically English ‘caution first’ approach...I could well be barking up the wrong tree..but Indns can,if they dare,take the initiative & make a momentous 5th Day at Chepauk..sadly sans spectators.!Test Crkt still rules..ok?!!

— Bishan Bedi (@BishanBedi) February 8, 2021

Meanwhile, the fans took a trip down memory lane 13 years back. Given India have to make 381 runs in supposed 98 overs, India need a swashbuckling innings from one of their players, fans revisited something similar that happened in 2008 at the same ground. 

India needed 386 runs on the final day of the Chennai Test against England and Virender Sehwag smashed an explosive knock of 83 runs off just 68 balls to help the MS Dhoni-led side to chase down the total. The fans hoped that someone like Rishabh Pant can repeat the Sehwag heroics, for the hosts to win the first match of the four-match series.

Here are some of the reactions:

Remembering @virendersehwag 's blistering knock of 83 against England at #ChennaiTest in 2008 series!#sehwag #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/CGZiWm0Ubk

— V Sehwag Fans Fort (@VSehwagFansFort) February 8, 2021

This is the situation where we need a Sehwag innings to Blitzkrieg the bowling and take down all the advantage the opposition have gathered.#INDvsENG

— Shree (@thefraudbrahmin) February 7, 2021

James Anderson played that match in 2008 when Sehwag smashed him and Steve Harminson at this very ground to set up a 4th innings win

— Sid (@sidsawant01) February 8, 2021

Players like Sehwag or Rishabh Pant are a rare kind! Sometimes they rise , sometimes they self destruct but they only know one way to play - FEARLESS!

— Gaurav Shetty (@gauravrshetty) February 7, 2021

It rained in previous Chennai test on day 5 - Sehwag was in top form. If only...

— Sura Puli (@sura_puli) February 6, 2021