London, Jan 31: England batsmen have been asked by their batting coach to learn from Rahul Dravid how to play spin and pick length in turning conditions after the No.1 Test team collapsed for 72 in the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.
Graham Thorpe has suggested that rather than spending time on a golf course or Xbox, it would be better watching footage of how Brian Lara and Rahul Dravid dealt with the threat of spin.
Thorpe, who is in Sri Lanka with the England Lions in his guise as ECB lead batting coach, does not subscribe to the view that England’s senior men are incapable of playing spin.
He believes a lack of intent and leaden footwork was to blame for England’s abysmal effort against spinners in the second Test, the Daily Express reports.
Thorpe said: “Playing against spin comes down to the risk you are prepared to take – that might be on your boundary options or how you can put pressure back on a spin bowler.
“And either way you have to have intent in your footwork. You look at Lara and he was so quick on his feet. Dravid is another great example of a player of spin in terms of how he picks length and how he plays in turning conditions.”
Thorpe is neither giving up hope ahead of the third Test nor giving up on England’s batters.
© ANI
