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Overly depend on one or two batters': VVS Laxman highlights one area that Kohli and Shastri 'need to address'
Ahead of the start of the five-match Test series, former India batsman VVS Laxman talked about one area of the game that Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri will look to address.
India test team will play a five-match Test series against England, that begins on August 4 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. India will look to leave the disappointment of losing the World Test Championship final behind as they face a formidable side in England. India doesn’t have an impressive record in England as they have lost their last three-Test series against the hosts.
Virat Kohli and Co will, however, look to get the better of England and kickstart their WTC 2 campaign on a positive note.
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Ahead of the start of the five-match Test series, former India batsman VVS Laxman talked about one area of the game that Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri will look to address.
“I believe the overall mindset of the Indian team has changed. With the win in Australia in 2020, the way they beat Australia in Brisbane and win the series in that fashion, in spite a lot of first-choice players not being available, shows that there’s a lot of depth and character in this team. I think the fast-bowling unit has become very formidable, and they are high on confidence from the way they have performed all over the world. One thing that Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli need to address is - the match-winning performances from their batsmen. They overly depend on one or two batters in overseas conditions, especially in conditions like England. If you want to beat England in a five-Test series, then you want to have a collective performance from your batting unit. You can’t expect one or two batsmen to perform, and then you expect to win the series. And that is something that Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli would like to address,” Laxman said on Star Sports show Game Plan.
Laxman also said that India’s tour of England could be a defining series for key players like Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma.
“For me, Pujara, Rahane, all the batsmen in this Indian batting lineup are experienced and are quality. Everyone will have a different formula, and everyone will have a different approach to score runs. There is an approach that Virat Kohli has – which he has consistently maintained throughout his career - then there is an approach Pujara has shown, and Rahane has shown, or Rohit Sharma is showing as an opener. So, I think it is important for the team management to back each and every player to show confidence in their approach.”
India will play England in the first Test on August 4 at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottingham.
