New Delhi: Former India batter VVS Laxman said that the batting unit of the team need to work hard in order to win against South Africa. Laxman said that most of the Indian batsmen are throwing their wickets away after getting set during the recently-concluded home series against New Zealand and it has become a pattern of late.
In the recently concluded Test, Shreyas Iyer and Mayank Agarwal starred with the bat in the first and second Test, respectively. While the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane once again failed to make a mark in the series against the Kiwis. Laxman said whether it was Rahane in the first innings of the Kanpur Test or Pujara and young opener Shubman Gill in the second innings in Mumbai all got out after making good starts.
Speaking on the topic, former India batter VVS Laxman warned the Indian batters ahead of three-match Test series against the Proteas.
“It’s very important not to repeat the same mistakes. If you see the way Ajinkya Rahane got out in Kanpur, Pujara got out in Kanpur as well as in Mumbai, it’s almost like a pattern, which is developing. Even Shubman Gill after settling down threw away his wicket. So, I just believe that it is about converting that start into a big score, which is very critical and as it is India plays with five genuine batsmen then you have your all-rounder in the form of Jadeja, you then have a wicket-keeper batsman,” said VVS Laxman on Star Sports show ‘Follow The Blues’.
Laxman reckoned that the Indian batters are repeating the same mistakes which might affect their chances of winning a Test series in South Africa for the first time. The 47-year old suggested that India should play with only five pure batters, the batsmen have to make it count once they are set and have spent some time on the crease.
“So, the top five batsmen need to make it count once they spend time on the crease. Somewhere or the other I feel that the mistakes are being repeated and after getting set they are losing their wicket easily, which you cannot do because if you want to perform well against good teams and especially if you want to win against South Africa then as a batting unit you need to fire,” he explained.
After India’s 1-0 win over New Zealand in the two-match Test series earlier this month,
team India’s focus now shifts to a three-match Test series against South Africa, starting December 26.
