The England cricket team are currently leading the 5-match Test series. But they have a weak link and that is the opening slot. Experienced campaigner Alastair Cook has been found wanting at the crease. Cook, England’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket, has failed to capitalize on starts.
England coach Trevor Bayliss though, feels that it is just a matter of time before the southpaw gets back to his groove. Bayliss said the veteran is striking the ballas nicely as ever. Cook hasn’t scored a fifty in his last seven Test innings while his 12th opening partner Keaton Jennings failed to do the same in his last 14 innings.
England sweat over openers’ form
“Cooky has not changed his demeanour. You wouldn’t know there was any difference between now and when he is scoring plenty of runs. He still practises as hard if not harder than anyone else. You watch him play in the nets and he is actually striking the ball quite nicely.
“His feet move well. I wouldn’t say he is out of form – he is still hitting the ball well – he is out of runs in the middle. But he is giving himself every opportunity. He practises hard and he still plays an active role in his position in the team,” Bayliss said.
Bayliss backed the duo to fire against India. “When he was with the Lions in Australia last year, it was about trying to get a little more flow to his batting. He is a very upright player so he is probably never going to be one of those guys who gets well down over the front knee and sniffs the ball. It was about a little more rhythm.” he said
“He’s been working on his back lift to get a little more rhythm and flow. It’s no easy task batting against these guys in these conditions which have been difficult. But that’s the job of an opening bat.” he added.
India won the third Test match by 203 runs as the hosts bundled out for mere 161 runs in the first innings. Apart from Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, the batting line-up looked shaky and they will look to recover before Virat Kohli’s men gets a sniff in Southhampton.