Sadiq urges Pakistan batsmen to counter West Indies seam movement with bold crease adjustment

Former Test great calls for a more proactive approach against seam movement

KARACHI:

Former Pakistan Test opener Sadiq Mohammad has criticised Pakistan's batting approach in the second Test against West Indies in Port of Spain, saying the tourists' batsmen failed to apply basic techniques against the moving ball and lacked the intent to put the bowlers under pressure.

In a series of messages shared with this correspondent, the 81-year-old, who represented Pakistan in 41 Tests between 1969 and 1981, suggested that Pakistan's batsmen should stand approximately two feet outside their crease to negate seam movement and disrupt the West Indies bowlers' rhythm.

"Asad Shafiq, kindly send message to Babar Azam and other batsmen to stand two foot out of their crease," Sadiq wrote.

Asad is the batting coach of Pakistan on their ongoing West Indies tour.

"This will stop ball movement and good length ball will become full length ball to drive it. This will also disturb their bowling line and length," Sadiq said.

Sadiq argued that advancing outside the crease would force the bowlers to alter their lengths while allowing batsmen to meet the ball before it had time to move significantly off the pitch.

The former opener was equally critical of the batsmen's technique, saying they repeatedly allowed the ball to come too deep before playing their shots.

"All batsmen played with bat behind their both leg and that's why most of the ball went behind square," he wrote.

"It means you letting the ball hit bat, batsman must play backfoot or forward with bat beside their front foot, not behind or beside their back foot."

According to Sadiq, Pakistan's top-order lacked positive intent and failed to seize scoring opportunities against the seamers.

"All batsmans were afraid of driving or hitting the ball," he said.

"Top five batsmen must take risk to hit the ball rather then blocking, apply all your basic in playing forcefull or defensive stroke."

Sadiq also urged the coaching staff to communicate technical advice directly to the batsmen while they were at the crease.

"This is your job to teach them and send messages to onfield batsmen by taking bat or gloves," he wrote.

Sadiq, regarded as one of Pakistan's most technically accomplished opening batsman of his era, has been technically too smart to analyse the things.

Latter Sadiq also told this correspondent that Asad Shafique like batsmen should be carried with the team, adding he has sone his job and played an exceptional knock to strengthen Pakistan position in the second Test.

After securing 43 runs lead in the first innings thanks to Abdullah Shafique's spectacular 160 and an 88 from Babar Azam the tourists have reduced the hosts to 103-6.

West Indies now lead by 60 runs with four wickets in hand.

Off-spinner Sajid Khan picked 4-32.