Where's the batting domination, England?

Ian Bell walks back after getting out for 25 yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Nottingham: Since the Ashes whitewash six months ago, England have had a change of head coach and batting coach. But despite the alterations, the batting woes are still clearly visible.


Ian Bell walks back after getting out for 25 yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Throughout the Ashes series, the England batsmen were guilty of digging themselves a hole and allowing the Australian bowlers to dominate them. No doubt, the Australian attack was top-class but rarely did the batsmen try to overpower them.

Yesterday, the batting fell apart once again. And the only time the batting looked threatening was when Stuart Broad counterattacked the Indian bowling. Not only are the likes of Sam Robson, Gary Ballance and Joe Root inexperienced. The problem is that they are all way too similar in style and attitude.

Firstly, they are all crease-bound. When they display a front foot defence or a drive, their foot is only a half stride, which makes them play from the crease far too often. It makes them vulnerable on slow pitches where bowlers bowl stump-to-stump lines, exactly what India did yesterday.

Though the Englishmen managed to score some runs during the Sri Lanka series, the deficiency in their batting has existed for a while and based on yesterday's batting woes, they seem to be reluctant to change.

Apart from technical issues, none of them seem capable enough to bat with intent. Batsmen such as Root, Ballance and Robson are unlikely to decimate any attack.

While India bowled superbly yesterday, the truth is that the visiting bowlers have simply honed in on glaring issues that should have been addressed well before the series.

England have left the door open and the Indian bowlers have stormed through it just like the Australian bowlers did in the whitewash.