ANI
New Delhi
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen recently took to X platform to express his concerns about the declining quality of batting techniques in Test cricket. Pietersen highlighted the shift in focus towards aggressive, boundary-centric play, which he believes has led to a deterioration in traditional batting skills.
"No one should be surprised by the lack of batting application and technique in Test Match cricket. Cricket is a ‘smackers’ game now and there is a disintegration of Test Match batting skill in the game. When it comes to playing spin, the only way, spend time playing against it for hours and hours and hours. There’s no quick remedy!” Pietersen wrote.
Pietersen’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among cricket purists who worry that the emphasis on T20 and limited-overs formats is undermining the art of Test batting.
His call for extensive practice against spin underlines the necessity for batters to invest significant time and effort to hone their skills in the longer format of the game.
As cricket continues to evolve, Pietersen’s remarks serve as a reminder of the enduring value of traditional techniques and the need for a balanced approach to batting across all formats.
Recently, India were whitewashed in their home against New Zealand (NZ), where they struggled against spin. They lost the series 3-0.