Ravi Shastri to set India's date with Sir Geoffrey Boycott

Ravi Shastri and Geoffrey Boycott

Director Ravi Shastri intends to invite England batting great Geoffrey Boycott to impress upon Team India the virtues of good batting when the team is in Yorkshire for its September 5 one-day international clash with England.


Ravi Shastri and Geoffrey Boycott

Knowing fully well that India's 1-3 defeat to England in the recent Test series was caused by the batsmen failing to produce big scores, Shastri will approach Boycott, who at one point in time was the highest accumulator of Test runs.

Boycott ended his 108-Test career in 1982 with a tally of 8114 runs. Shastri was Boycott's opponent on England's 1981-82 tour to India and has been sharing the commentary box with him for two decades.

Shastri told mid-day: "In the commentary box, Geoffrey is quick to pick up the plus and minus points among batsmen. I call the old man the fastest 'fielder' among us, who is quick to spot a flaw. For his age (73), he is very sharp.

"I wanted to find someone, who has seen the team playing the Test series and this will help a great deal when it comes to analysing the batsmen. I will approach him straightaway when we reach Yorkshire." Boycott is president of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.


India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is bowled by Liam Plunkett during the first Test against England in Nottingham. Pic/Getty Images

What's interesting is that Boycott and current India head coach Duncan Fletcher don't get along since the former great was a big critic of Fletcher while he was England coach from 1999 to 2007.

In yesterday's mid-day, Boycott wondered why Fletcher was not given the sack considering he was in charge of the team.

When reminded by this correspondent that the two don't get along, Shastri smiled and said, "In India, Biryani takes a long time to cook."