IND vs ENG: Use your feet, gentlemen!

The England batsmen’s choice to reverse sweep rather than leave their crease to change the bowler’s length is a classic example of them not trusting their defence and this results in panicked attempts to attack the Indian spinners

Virat Kohli described the day-night third Test as “bizarre”, a word that aptly describes the England batsmen’s attempts to cope with India’s spinners.

India’s decision to select three spinners for the Test was prompted by England’s batting on a tricky Chennai pitch, where their batsmen —Joe Root excepted—displayed a distinct ineptitude against spin. India  correctly calculated this would result in mental scarring and used it to their advantage.

Axar Patel’s trick

From the moment Axar Patel conjured up the ultimate thimble and pea trick to dismiss Jonny Bairstow with a straight one, England were in a spin. Is the ball over there? No, it’s here. When faced with a serious spin challenge the England batsmen don’t trust their defence which eventually results in panicked attempts to 
attack the Indian spinners. Their choice to reverse sweep rather than leave their crease to change the bowler’s length is a classic example. How can a risky premeditated shot be less dangerous than what was previously a trusted technique to unsettle good spinners?

One of the first principles of batting—especially on a pitch assisting spinners—is to keep the odds slightly in your favour. 

Following the memorable 2001 series in India where VVS Laxman made a magnificent 281 on a testing surface, I asked Shane Warne how he thought he performed. “I didn’t think I bowled badly,” he replied. “You didn’t,” was my response. “When a batsman alters your length drastically by coming out three paces and then is quickly onto the back foot when you toss the next delivery a little higher and shorter, that’s not bad bowling, that’s excellent footwork.”

Shrewd use of footwork not only helps to negate the spin but also puts a batsman in a position to direct the ball where he wants, rather than where the bowler would prefer it to be hit.

To be fair, this is a skill that has to be learned at a young age. Which prompts the question why is it not widely taught in England where sweeping is 
misguidedly touted as the secret to playing spin bowling successfully?

Another prominent theory is to take block on off-stump when the ball is spinning back into the batsman. This flawed theory closes off scoring opportunities through the on-side. It’s designed to reduce the chances of being dismissed rather than create scoring opportunities which is always a bad option. It also causes batsmen to play balls towards leg-slip; why deliberately hit the ball to a catching fielder?

I asked former Australian batsman Doug Walters; “How do you get caught at leg-slip against an off-spinner.” He replied; “You can’t.”

Walters is the best batsman I’ve seen against top-class off-spin. He scored a century in a session on a tricky Queens Park Oval pitch with Lance Gibbs operating after crafting a brilliant hundred against Erapalli Prasanna on a Chepauk pitch that was as difficult as the recent Test there between India and England. On both occasions he used lightning quick footwork both negate the spin and manipulate the field placings against two champion off-spinners.

Back in Ahmedabad, Ollie Pope decided to use his feet to the Indian spinners; he had the right idea but the wrong execution. 

Tentative Pope

Firstly, he jumped rather than glided out of the crease. Secondly, his front foot pressed forward but the back one lingered, as if searching for the safety of the crease.

I was told two crucial things about footwork when I was young; “Get stumped by three yards not three inches,” my coach said, “and never think about the ’keeper when you leave the crease.” Pope thought of the ’keeper as he tentatively ventured out of his crease, so he was worried he’d miss the delivery. That results in footwork that hinders rather than helps. It’s never easy against good spinners on a challenging surface but it is possible to play well; just not the way England is going about it.

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