MUMBAI: KL Rahul is ‘value in platinum’ for the twin function of wicketkeeper-batsman, however former India participant Farokh Engineer has little doubt that in Test cricket India ought to stick with a specialist wicketkeeper — KS Bharat on this case and urged him to work on his method.
Rahul, who’s nursing a quadriceps harm, had saved wickets within the away two-Test collection towards South Africa however opted to area Bharat for that function within the on-going five-match Test collection towards England.
“For a One-Day or T20 game, you could play with a batsman-keeper and get away with it. You know, like KL Rahul. He has improved over the years. He kept wickets quite well. He is not a brilliant wicketkeeper. But what a great, brilliant batsman he is,” Engineer, a former wicketkeeper batter himself, mentioned throughout an interplay after his felicitation right here on the Bombay Gymkhana.
“He is definitely worth his weight in platinum to be in the side and keep wickets,” mentioned the 85-year-old.
“But (for Tests) You got to have your best wicketkeeper. You got to have wicketkeeper-batsman instead of a batsman-wicketkeeper. Of course, everyone is required to bat these days. In the opinion of selectors, Bharat is a better ‘keeper, is he?,” requested Engineer.
However, Engineer mentioned there have been just a few areas to work upon for Bharat.
“There are a few areas that I can (think of) straightaway. But you don’t like to tell them, in case they think you are trying to be big-headed,” he mentioned.
“If he just rises slowly, I would prefer that. Once you get up quickly, it is difficult to go down again and you waste that fraction of a second. But if you get up gradually with the ball, then you are… things have got to be ironed out. But (then) he is the best around,” he added.
Engineer said it remains to be seen how Rishabh Pant would be able to pick up keeping when he returns but added that the left-hander has the potential to play as a specialist batter.
“(I was) so sad to hear about Rishabh’s accident. I hope that he’s recovered now. I’m not sure (that) he’ll be able to ‘keep wickets, because once you lose your sharpness, the sixth sense… but his batting is so good, he can be a match-winner for India with the bat,” he mentioned.
“He has so much confidence as a batsman. Like me, he thinks that spinners shouldn’t exist,” Engineer added.
While predicting India because the winner of the collection towards England by a 3-2 margin, Engineer warned the hosts to protect towards complacency.
“I reckon India will win 3-2. But don’t underestimate England. They are a good side. Had they won the toss and decided to bat, who knows? We might have been in a predicament. They might have been leading by 150,” he mentioned.
“When we get a chance, we got to grab it with both hands. Like in Hyderabad, we should have got 600. All our batsmen got too complacent, thinking that we will be able to dismiss them because the ball was turning.
“Let’s not be complacent. After winning this Test, put the screws down,” mentioned Engineer, who was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI just lately.
Engineer lauds Anderson
Engineer, who performed 46 Tests and 5 ODIs for India, was among the many finest abroad gamers to have appeared for Lancashire in English county cricket.
So, it was pure for Engineer to bathe reward on one other Lancastrian — the 41-year-old pacer James Anderson.
Engineer credited Anderson’s health for his longevity.
“He is absolutely phenomenal. He is my Lancashire boy. A few years ago when he was not in the England team, not even in the Lancashire team, and he was sitting next to me at (Andrew) Freddie Flintoff’s son’s christening, we had a word,” he mentioned.
“I said, ‘you are a fantastic swing bowler, you will always, always come good’. He always remembers that.”
“In England, (with) the conditions and all that, he swings the ball both ways. He uses his head. He is a fantastic bowler. He has been a great, great Lancastrian.”
“He is physically fit. Fitness is the most important thing for a fast bowler. He is always bowling within himself,” he mentioned.
Engineer mentioned Anderson, who has 693 wickets from 184 Tests, will probably be remembered as one among true quick bowling greats.
“He is right up there with the greatest of fast bowlers. To get to that age and swing the ball both ways and to trouble the batsmen, and to get so many wickets on our Indian pitches, is a credit. He is a real credit to England,” Engineer signed off.
Rahul, who’s nursing a quadriceps harm, had saved wickets within the away two-Test collection towards South Africa however opted to area Bharat for that function within the on-going five-match Test collection towards England.
“For a One-Day or T20 game, you could play with a batsman-keeper and get away with it. You know, like KL Rahul. He has improved over the years. He kept wickets quite well. He is not a brilliant wicketkeeper. But what a great, brilliant batsman he is,” Engineer, a former wicketkeeper batter himself, mentioned throughout an interplay after his felicitation right here on the Bombay Gymkhana.
“He is definitely worth his weight in platinum to be in the side and keep wickets,” mentioned the 85-year-old.
“But (for Tests) You got to have your best wicketkeeper. You got to have wicketkeeper-batsman instead of a batsman-wicketkeeper. Of course, everyone is required to bat these days. In the opinion of selectors, Bharat is a better ‘keeper, is he?,” requested Engineer.
However, Engineer mentioned there have been just a few areas to work upon for Bharat.
“There are a few areas that I can (think of) straightaway. But you don’t like to tell them, in case they think you are trying to be big-headed,” he mentioned.
“If he just rises slowly, I would prefer that. Once you get up quickly, it is difficult to go down again and you waste that fraction of a second. But if you get up gradually with the ball, then you are… things have got to be ironed out. But (then) he is the best around,” he added.
Engineer said it remains to be seen how Rishabh Pant would be able to pick up keeping when he returns but added that the left-hander has the potential to play as a specialist batter.
“(I was) so sad to hear about Rishabh’s accident. I hope that he’s recovered now. I’m not sure (that) he’ll be able to ‘keep wickets, because once you lose your sharpness, the sixth sense… but his batting is so good, he can be a match-winner for India with the bat,” he mentioned.
“He has so much confidence as a batsman. Like me, he thinks that spinners shouldn’t exist,” Engineer added.
While predicting India because the winner of the collection towards England by a 3-2 margin, Engineer warned the hosts to protect towards complacency.
“I reckon India will win 3-2. But don’t underestimate England. They are a good side. Had they won the toss and decided to bat, who knows? We might have been in a predicament. They might have been leading by 150,” he mentioned.
“When we get a chance, we got to grab it with both hands. Like in Hyderabad, we should have got 600. All our batsmen got too complacent, thinking that we will be able to dismiss them because the ball was turning.
“Let’s not be complacent. After winning this Test, put the screws down,” mentioned Engineer, who was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI just lately.
Engineer lauds Anderson
Engineer, who performed 46 Tests and 5 ODIs for India, was among the many finest abroad gamers to have appeared for Lancashire in English county cricket.
So, it was pure for Engineer to bathe reward on one other Lancastrian — the 41-year-old pacer James Anderson.
Engineer credited Anderson’s health for his longevity.
“He is absolutely phenomenal. He is my Lancashire boy. A few years ago when he was not in the England team, not even in the Lancashire team, and he was sitting next to me at (Andrew) Freddie Flintoff’s son’s christening, we had a word,” he mentioned.
“I said, ‘you are a fantastic swing bowler, you will always, always come good’. He always remembers that.”
“In England, (with) the conditions and all that, he swings the ball both ways. He uses his head. He is a fantastic bowler. He has been a great, great Lancastrian.”
“He is physically fit. Fitness is the most important thing for a fast bowler. He is always bowling within himself,” he mentioned.
Engineer mentioned Anderson, who has 693 wickets from 184 Tests, will probably be remembered as one among true quick bowling greats.
“He is right up there with the greatest of fast bowlers. To get to that age and swing the ball both ways and to trouble the batsmen, and to get so many wickets on our Indian pitches, is a credit. He is a real credit to England,” Engineer signed off.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com