IND vs NZ 2017: It Will Be a Huge Challenge For All The Batters to Come Good Against Trent Boult – Rohit Sharma
Jan 9, 2019 at 3:57 PM
India’s recent struggles against the likes of Mohammad Amir and Jason Behrendorff has exposed their issues against left-arm pacers.
India’s top three batsmen – Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli was in sizzling form in the Champions Trophy but were blown away by Amir. The story was pretty much similar in the second T20I against Australia earlier when India’s top-order, despite being in a good form, failed to deal with Behrendorff.
Given the constant struggles against left-arm pacers, India will have their task cut against Trent Boult, yet another quality left-armer in the upcoming three-match One-Day International series, starting October 22. And so despite the team being in such a good form, opening batsman Rohit Sharma while claiming the team has done ‘exceedingly well’, admitted facing Boult will be a challenge for the Men in Blue.
“The last time India had a left-arm seamer was a long time back,” Rohit said. “I think Zaheer Khan was the last who played for India in ODI format. Our team is used to that now, and we have performed exceedingly well.
“For us as batters, it will be a challenge to face a left-arm seamer and Trent Boult being one of their prime left-arm fast bowlers, it will be a huge challenge for all the batters to come good against [him]. We played them last time, and we know what they’ll bring to the table, and we know what they’re capable of as a bowling unit. It’s not just about one left-arm seamer; I guess their complete bowling unit we have to look at,” he added.
Boult, nonetheless, has already sent the warning to the hosts with a sizzling bowling performance against Board President’s XI in the first warm-up game, taking five for 38.
Boult had also caused a lot of trouble for India last year when he took two wickets each on the slower tracks of Delhi, Ranchi and Visakhapatnam.