"It's very important not to repeat the same mistakes" - VVS Laxman on India's batting woes ahead of the South Africa series
VVS Laxman feels the Indian batters are not learning from their mistakes and are throwing away their wickets after getting set in the middle.
The Indian team's middle order is going through a prolonged lean run and seems to have fallen into a rut. The opposition bowlers have targeted the batters in their weak zones and the latter have not been able to find a counter for that.
While speaking on the Star Sports show Follow the Blues, VVS Laxman highlighted that the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are repeatedly falling prey to the same opposition plans. He elaborated:
"It's very important not to repeat the same mistakes. If we saw 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."
The former India cricketer added that even Shubman Gill has tended to throw away his wicket. VVS Laxman observed:
"Even Shubman Gill, after settling down and throwing away his wicket. So I just believe it is about converting that start into a big score, which is very critical."
44 in the 1st innings
47 in the 2nd innings
Shubman Gill missed out on two real good opportunities to score big!
#INDvNZ
Gill crossed the 40-run mark thrice in the two-Test series against New Zealand. However, he seemed to have lost concentration on all three occasions and could not convert them into three-figure knocks.
"It is important for the top five batters to make it count" - VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman pointed out that the onus is on the specialist batters in the Indian lineup to deliver the goods. He explained:
"As it is, India plays with five genuine batters, then you have an all-rounder in the form of Jadeja, you then have a wicketkeeper-batter, so it is important for the top five batters to make it count once they get their eye in, once they spend time on the crease."
The 47-year-old concluded by stating that Team India's batting needs to rise to the occasion if they harbor hopes of putting it across South Africa. Laxman said:
"Somewhere or the other I feel they are repeating the mistakes and throwing away their wickets after getting set, which you cannot do if you want to perform well against good teams and especially if you want to win the series in South Africa, as a batting unit you will have to fire."
Many would feel this is India's best chance to win a Test series in South Africa. Not a wrong assumption, but last time out the only batsman who scored runs regularly was Kohli. The bowlers may do their job, but the batting, as a unit, must step up over there.
The Indian batters came up short the last time they traveled to South Africa as well. Virat Kohli was the only specialist Indian batter to average more than 30 in that series.