Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has offered his insights to the Indian batsmen, suggesting that they need to make a few adjustments to improve their performance in the upcoming second Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town, scheduled to commence on January 3. Sunil Gavaskar was quite vocal and stated that Indian batters should grind the bowlers before playing attacking brand of cricket.
The Former Indian captain advised the players to adopt a technique of playing beside the line of the ball and executing their shots with delayed timing. He said this approach would provide the batsmen with ample time to make decisions regarding whether to adopt an attacking or defensive mode for that particular delivery. Gavaskar’s advice comes after the trend of Indian batters frequently getting dismissed by the wicketkeeper or at slips in the previous test.
For those unfamiliar with the recent Test match, South Africa secured a convincing victory over India by an innings and 32 runs in the first Test. India struggled in both innings, posting scores of 245 and 131, while South Africa amassed 408 in their only innings. KL Rahul (101), Virat Kohli (38 & 82), and Jasprit (4/69) were the standout performers for India in the opening game.
There are a couple of things they need to make the adjustment- Sunil Gavaskar
Interacting with the Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar said,
“There are a couple of things to look to get besides the line of the ball rather than behind the line of the ball. When you get beside the line of the ball, then you can allow the ball to pass by easily by dropping your wrist, but if you are behind the line, sometimes you drop your wrist, you’re gonna hit there (chin),”
The cricketer-turned-commentator added,
“So, those are the couple of things they need to make the adjustment with. Try and play as late as possible because that gives you time to decide whether you want to play it or to leave the ball,”
You have to pay attention to these things- Irfan Pathan shares his insights ahead of the second test
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has offered suggestions to the Indian batters in preparation for the second Test against South Africa. Pathan advised that the middle-order batsmen should focus on practicing with new balls in the nets to address challenges posed by excessive swing movements.
Furthermore, The 39-year-old suggested the Indian batters to use their feet wisely, highlighting the dismissals of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, who faced early exits with scores of five runs and a duck in the previous test.
The cricketer-turned-commentator told Star Sports,
“In South Africa, you give a lot of attention to the new ball. Ensure that the middle-order batters also practice with the new ball because it continues to move,” said Irfan Pathan.
“So, when there are early breakthroughs, then we have to bat early and face the new ball. So, you get prepared, and apart from that, we’ve seen a lack of foot movements like Rohit Sharma. It could be because of fatigue or pressure,” he added.
Pathan added,
“You need to pay attention to these things because you are not getting half volleys. The ball is bowled slightly away, which can trouble you due to lack of foot movement,”
South Africa currently has a 1-0 lead against India in the ongoing two-match Test series. To prevent another series loss in South Africa, India must secure a victory in the second Test. It’s worth noting that India has never won a Test series in South Africa and drew the series only once in their previous eight attempts.
Also Read:https://goworldwide.co.in/south-africas-remarkable-comeback-in-tests/