Underscoring the need for a robust defense, England batsman Kevin Pietersen has said his relentless defensive drills at the nets were the mantra for his success during India's triumphant 2012-13 tour. Pietersen's 186 off 233 balls, in the second Test in Mumbai, is considered one of the best performances by a foreign batsman on a tour of India. The knock helped turn the momentum around after England were well beaten in the first Test, sending the tourists on their way to their first series win in India in 27 years. India have not lost a series at home since.
“Getting runs just becomes a fluke without defense,” 43-year-old Mike Atherton said in a candid interview in The Times.
As England prepare for the upcoming five-match series, Pietersen's thoughts provide a clear picture of the challenges and opportunities that await them in India.
Pietersen recalled that the English batters would shadow hit “all the time”.
“We used to do this exercise in India, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and I. Rooty is spectacular, as good as anyone.
“It's about learning not to stay on the front foot; to wait to determine the length of the ball so that you don't just play with your hands.
“To do that, the idea is to hit every ball, wherever it lands, on the offside.” “I would spend time in the nets just defending; it's actually not a negative thing to defend. The ability to defend gives you the confidence to attack.
“Defend; play straight lines, don't put your front foot down; wait for the ball; don't just play with your hands. If you can do that and you have the resources to commit to solid defense and confidence then you can do some loosen up,” he added.
Pietersen's innings was notable for his adept handling of Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's variations, especially the 'doosra'.
As Ashiwn will once again play a role in the scheme of things, Pietersen said the key is to adopt the style of his delivery.
“I picked Ashwin's 'doosra'. He loaded the ball at the back of his run-up, and I think he still does that now. He never ran with the ball in his hand as an off-spinner and changed it late for the 'doosra', that's not possible, he loaded it early.
“I was 100 percent confident when he went to bowl and you would see how many times I hit him over the offside. I saw the 'doosra' behind his mark and because he had a stacked field on the leg side because the ball was turning so much, I think four or six.” About the left-arm finger spinners, Pietersen said: “I have dealt with (Ravindra) Jadeja a lot. It is about technique. Jadeja is not Murali and he is not Shane Warne. He is a left-arm spinner who bowls the ball one way, and occasionally, If your technique is solid enough to play the ball that is slipping, you will be fine.
“If your feet are good, don't plant your front foot and play along the line of the ball, you should be fine. Just make sure you don't get bowled or lbw.
“If you slip the ball, it's no problem at all. If you're bowled or lbw, it's a big problem. You have so much time to wait for the ball and then judge the length or line and then move.” Root announced his arrival in Test cricket with a half-century in that series. Root, along with Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson, are the surviving members of the series that took place over a decade ago.
Pietersen, a big fan of Root, said the England batsman is reinventing himself and would be a key player for the visitors.
“He waits for the ball. He doesn't commit; he plays with the back foot. He is so brilliant and so decisive about whether to go forward or back. He is the most fantastic player.”
“And he becomes an even better player as his hitting range increases. Reverse-sweeping bores show an extravagance that comes from someone who was right for so long. He reinvents himself and becomes a more dangerous player.” .” So can England deliver again? “This tour depends on the spinners. I thought Panesar and (Graeme) Swann won that series for us. Of course we made runs. Cookie has enough; I've had enough and I know you still gotta get runs.
“But in the third Test of that series in Kolkata, their spinners tried to bowl fast because they were trying to mimic our spinners.
“Jimmy was incredible too. His skill and reverse swing. That was one of Jimmy's best tours I think. He was great in Australia but his bowling is fine there, the way he could move the ball and the wickets he took.
“So the question is, can England deliver with the spinners they have? That will dictate the series. It's going to spin. I played in Vizag recently. It spun and bounced in a T20 game!” Given what happened in Cape Town recently (India won on a pitch that favored fast bowlers and was rated poor), they won't be shy about preparing something that spins and will say, 'Let's see what you've got'. The series starts with the Hyderabad Test on Thursday.
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