Former England opener Geoffrey Boycott was scathing in his criticism of the Indian team, terming the visitors’ batting performance “naive, irresponsible and bordering on stupidity”.
Barring Virat Kohli at Edgbaston in the first Test, the state of India’s batting in this series – and overseas, in general – has been a disaster of epic proportions. The visitors are now trailing 2-0 with three matches left to play in the series.
“So far, the Indian players have let themselves and their supporters down. The batting has been so naive and irresponsible, it has bordered on stupidity. Wafting drives at tempting outswingers is thoughtless,” Boycott wrote in his column for the Daily Telegraph.
Boycott felt that the Indian batsmen lack application while trying to flick outswingers, referring to Murali Vijay’s mode of dismissal in the first innings of the Lord’s Test. And as has been the common refrain, Boycott also said that Indian batsmen have not done their homework as the manner of dismissals indicate.
“Trying to work straight outswingers through midwicket and then being surprised when you get bowled or nick it to the slips is brainless. Playing the ball on the up in front of your pad is a no-no. These are elementary things you do not do against any decent swing bowler in English conditions. To try to do it to James Anderson, who is one of the great master craftsmen in those conditions, tells me the Indian batsmen have not done their homework,” wrote Boycott.
“They have not sat down, talked or practised in the nets and got their heads around how they are going to bat differently in England.”
Lack of preparation
Boycott, who has 8000 plus runs in Test cricket, said India’s preparation bordered on the arrogance. To say there is not enough time to prepare for Test tours is an excuse that is wearing thin, given India have not learned their lessons from South Africa by playing only one warm-up game in England.
“These guys are used to batting on flat, dry, non-bouncing pitches in India and plundering easy runs. The new ball does not do much and the shine does not last long. Batsmen are king and can play lots of shots straight away.”
“India have come to England complacently and arrogantly thinking they can bat the same way and everything will be OK on the day. Any time you do not plan and work at your cricket, the game will kick you up the backside, and India deserve the thrashing they are getting.”
Boycott also warned the Indian team that Jimmy Anderson will be even more lethal at Trent Bridge, where the third Test starts Saturday.
“Do not expect it to get any easier at Trent Bridge, because that is where Anderson excels. His bowling figures are exceptional in Nottingham and Stuart Broad will be up for the challenge with his home crowd behind him.”
Boycott was concerned about teams failing to fight away from home.
“Test cricket is becoming a ridiculous mismatch with most teams winning at home and failing miserably abroad. India, the No 1 team in the world, have been awful in two Tests. Great teams and great players should not buckle as easily as India did at Lord’s just because the ball swings and seams. The whole point of playing cricket in different countries on different pitches and in different climatic conditions is to test your technique, character and ability to adapt.”