As India are all set for the third Test against England in Rajkot, Ben Stokes’ strategy against Rohit Sharma’s boys, particularly Yashasvi Jaiswal, has sparked much debate. Former English cricketer David Lloyd has shed light on this challenge. He wants England to adapt and innovate to curtail Jaiswal’s impact in the upcoming Test.
“The one England have had the most problems with so far is Yashasvi Jaiswal and their challenge therefore is to try to work out a plan to dismiss the series’ leading run scorer,” Lloyd wrote.
England, under the leadership of Stokes, have embraced an aggressive style of play. This tactic is expected to continue. Despite Virat Kohli’s absence, India’s batting lineup remains formidable. Jaiswal, however, emerges as the primary concern for England, having troubled them significantly thus far, Lloyd noted in his piece for The Daily Mail.
The former cricketer lauded Jaiswal’s quick-scoring ability, exemplified by his record-setting fastest 50 in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Jaiswal’s partnership with Jos Buttler at the Rajasthan Royals highlights his compatibility with the dynamic ‘Bazball’ approach, Lloyd notes. However, Lloyd suggests proposes using an off-spinner against Jaiswal early on, aiming to exploit any potential overconfidence.
The suggestion includes strategic field placements to play on Jaiswal’s ego. England could position fielders in areas Jaiswal favours for his shots, offering him tempting opportunities while setting a trap, he said.
‘Play on Jaiswal’s ego’
“Jaiswal is a dasher all right but he doesn’t have an obvious weakness, so I would be thinking slightly outside the box and rather than bowling the left-arm spinner against him with the new ball, I would be tempted to persevere with the off-spinner, placing temptation in the deep. I would like to see England play on Jaiswal’s ego a bit more,” the 76-year-old cricket legend wrote.
Lloyd recalled a successful strategy employed against Shreyas Iyer, where Ben Stokes had positioned himself for a crucial catch, illustrating the effectiveness of such tactics.
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Published: 13 Feb 2024, 01:32 PM IST