AB de Villiers Criticises India’s Batting Approach in Third Test
The third Test between India and England at Lord’s has drawn to a close, with the home team emerging victorious by 22 runs. While India’s bowling unit received praise for their efforts, the batting department was heavily criticized, particularly by none other than Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) icon AB de Villiers.
As an analyst and former cricketer, de Villiers took aim at India’s top five batters, expressing his disappointment with their approach. According to him, the Indian top order adopted an overly cautious approach, which ultimately backfired and allowed Ben Stokes’ England to seize control in the final innings.
De Villiers, who is known for his aggressive batting style, believes that India’s caution was a major factor in their defeat. “I think the Indian top order was very cautious, and that’s not the way you win Test matches,” he said in an interview. “You need to take the game away from the opposition, and that’s what England did. They took the game away from India, and they made them bowl a lot of overs.”
The former Proteas captain pointed out that India’s top order failed to score at a decent pace, allowing England to build pressure and eventually take the game away. “India’s top order didn’t score enough runs, and that’s what cost them the game. They needed to score 350 to 400 runs in the first innings, but they only managed to score around 250. That’s not good enough in Test cricket.”
De Villiers also criticized India’s inability to rotate the strike effectively, which led to a collapse in the middle overs. “India’s batsmen didn’t rotate the strike well enough, and that’s why they lost wickets in clusters. When you’re playing good bowling, you need to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking. But India’s batsmen didn’t do that, and that’s why they struggled.”
The RCB great also praised England’s approach, saying that they were willing to take risks and play their natural game. “England’s approach was excellent. They played their natural game, and they took the game away from India. They were willing to take risks, and that’s what won them the game.”
De Villiers’ comments have sparked a debate among cricket fans and experts, with some agreeing with his assessment and others defending India’s batting approach. However, it’s clear that India’s top order needs to improve their game if they want to succeed in Test cricket.
In conclusion, AB de Villiers’ criticism of India’s batting approach in the third Test is a timely reminder that caution is not the best approach in Test cricket. India’s top order needs to be more aggressive and willing to take risks if they want to win games. As de Villiers said, “You need to take the game away from the opposition, and that’s what England did. They took the game away from India, and they made them bowl a lot of overs.”
Source: https://cricfit.com/rcb-great-criticizes-indias-batting-approach-in-third-test-against-england/
