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Pakistan need to come out of ODI mode: Bishop

By Staff

New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop feels that playing one-day series before the Test series was responsible for Pakistan's insipid batting display as the visitors got out playing rash shots.

Critical of the visitors batting efffort, the right-arm speedster said Pakistan batsmen have not been able to back their bowlers and if they are staring at defeat, it was because of their batting failure.

''Pakistan have to blame their batsmen for the situation they are in. It seemed they were playing One-day International when they batted in the first innings.

''They lacked patience and failed to capitalise on a good start given by their bowlers. They could not acclimatise themselves and played poorly in both the innings,'' Bishop told UNI.

The 40-year-old added, ''Batsman need to apply themselves in this sort of pitch. They needed to build on the start. Just see there is no centuries in the match.'' ''Some of the batsmen scored half centuries. But that is not what you expect in the Test arena. The batsmen were in the ODI mode.'' The fearsome pacer though has a word of praise for the bowlers, especially, Shoaib Akhtar, when asked to name the best bowler among both the teams in the first Test.

''Although it's a bit subjective question and a difficult one to answer, but I feel Akhtar has done a brilliant job on this track and against a formidable Indian batting line-up. Other than him, Sohail Tanvir and Zaheer Khan bowled well, but in patches,'' Bishop said.

When asked whether the absence of Mohd Asif and Umar Gul, due to injuries, had affected the visitors chances in the match, Bishop said, ''Yes, Asif and Gul are being missed and could have made a lot of difference but in the end, it is their batting which did them in.'' India beat Pakistan by six wickets in the first test on the fifth and final day to take 1-0 lead in the three match series at the Feroz Shah Kotla here today.

There has been a lot of talk about a sub-standard wicket being prepared at the Kotla but Bishop doesn't buy that line of argument.

''I don't think it was a sub-standard track. Yes, it was challenging for the batsmen but surely not a doctored track. It had something for the spinners and fast bowlers also fared decently.

''I think the low and slow bounce troubled the batsmen. They should have shown more patience rather than rushing for strokes,'' he added.

When quizzed if the Indian batsmen's will find it difficult when they tour 'Down Under' next month, Bishop said, ''Every wicket has a peculiar characteristics. It varies depending upon the climatic condition. Indian pitches have been traditionally slow. Perth is known for its bounce and pace. On the other hand, the Sydney wicket at times gives assistance to the spinners.'' Bishop, who played 43 Tests for the West Indies, was also impressed with Sourav Ganguly, the bowler, ''Sourav Ganguly bowled very well.'' But warns that it will be folly on the part of India to rely on his bowling once they are in Australia.

''You can't rely on him to take wickets all the time. He is not your frontline bowler. In Australia, you need four main bowlers to do the job.

''Ganguly can chip in as a support bowler but it would be up to the likes of Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Sreesanth, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan to do the trick,'' he concludes.

UNI

Story first published: Tuesday, August 22, 2017, 12:33 [IST]
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