Darren Lehmann wants Australian batsmen to follow Kumar Sangakkara's advice to tackle spin threat
While the addition of Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan as Australia’s bowling consultant ahead of the Kandy Test failed to produce the desired results with the visitors suffering an embarrassing 106-run defeat in the first Test, Australia’s batting coach Darren Lehmann wants his batsmen to take a leaf out of Sri Lankan batting legend Kumar Sangakkara’s technique to deal better with the threat of spin bowling.
What worries Lehmann the most about the defeat was the fact that veteran spinner Rengana Herath and debutant Lakshan Sandakan picked up 16 wickets them on a surface which didn’t offer unnatural help to the slower bowlers. With the next two venues expected to be spin-friendly, Lehmann asked his batsmen to avoid being extra-defensive in their mindset, which in turn allows the bowlers to build up the pressure from both sides.
"He (Herath) bowled at the stumps, consistently at the stumps – it’s something that we've got to do," Lehmann replied when asked about Herath’s success mantra. "When they're getting hit on the pads, it's probably not spinning.”
Lehmann was extremely disappointed with the fact that despite landing in Sri Lanka nearly two weeks ahead of the start of the first Test, his side repeated the same mistakes that had led to the side’s downfall during their previous outing in Asia – a 2-0 series loss against Pakistan in the UAE in 2014.
"I think we had the problem in Dubai with Zulfiqar (Babar). We addressed that in Dubai, obviously a different playing group, and we addressed it before the series here. They've just got to get better at it,” Lehmann said. “Hit the ball more and not get lbw for a start. That's probably our challenge.”
Sangakkara’s advice
Lehmann’s comments do bear a lot of similarity to the views shared by Sangakkara in his recent interview with UK Professional Cricketers’ Association’s on-line magazine ‘All Out Cricket’ and Australia will do well to listen to his advice if they hope to make a comeback in the series.
When asked about the two biggest traits that excellent players of spin bowling possess, Sangakkara had replied, “Number one, they have a very solid defence, so they play the ball with the bat rather than the pad. And they judge length very well. Forward when they’re forward, and right back when they go back, which is an important thing on wickets that turn, to be able to judge the length, judge it quickly, and then commit.”
Sangakkara also suggested batsmen to practice the sweep shot and also adopt a slightly different stance which helps the batsmen judge the length easier.
"Most of them also sweep very well, which is a very important shot against spin, and now with the reverse sweep, it’s even better," Sangakkara said. "These days a lot of batsmen have a slightly wider stance when they play spin than when they play pace, so they spread themselves, their centre of gravity is lower, the head’s slightly lower so they can judge the flight and the dip, and therefore make it easier to judge the length.
"All of these are important traits, but they all start with a fearless defence," Sangakkara said. “When a player can play a back-foot or a forward defence with absolute authority, there’s no more demoralising sight for a good spinner who’s turning the ball.”
Lehmann will be hoping that the Australian batsmen do make the necessary adjustments to their game as he expects the ball to turn right from the word go in the second Test at the Galle stadium.
"I think it will still spin from day one," Lehmann said. "That's a challenge for the batting group, getting through those tough times. They (Australia’s batters) have got to work out a plan. We have talked about it a lot so they know what to do, it's just executing more than anything else.”