As cricket fans gear up for another season of thrilling matches, English cricketer Zak Crawley has shed light on England's recent tour of India, highlighting both the positives and the areas needing refinement.
In an exclusive chat at the Kia Oval on the eve of the county season, Crawley emphasized England's unwavering belief in their attacking approach despite their challenges during the India tour. Reflecting on the missed opportunities, especially in the pivotal fourth Test in Ranchi, Crawley acknowledged the need for improvement in capitalizing on dominant positions.
"We never really lost faith and had the same attitude, as you can tell from some of our press!" Crawley said as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, alluding to the team's optimistic outlook despite some tough moments on the field.
"We had the same attitude throughout and I don't think that is arrogance. We genuinely believed in ourselves and thought we could win the series. We were in all the games. We certainly weren't in the games when I was in India last time, so we gave ourselves a good chance and we weren't quite clinical enough, like they were, to be fair," he said.
The series against India, ending in a 4-1 defeat for England, could have taken a different turn had they capitalized on key moments, particularly in Ranchi, where they missed a chance to level the series. Crawley emphasized the importance of being clinical, citing India's ability to seize momentum and capitalize on opportunities.
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"We should have won in Ranchi to make it 2-2 and then you never know how the last one goes, but it is always hard to wrestle the momentum back. Over five days, their skills are always going to come out, and they are a phenomenal team. It was a really enjoyable tour though, we gave it a good crack, and there is a lot to learn from," he added.
Despite the series loss, Crawley expressed satisfaction with his personal performance, noting a significant improvement from previous years. He credited his mindset shift and adaptability, particularly against spin, for his success during the tour.
"Hopefully I can push on from here but I certainly feel in a better place now than I did at the start of last year," Crawley said. "Whenever I try to maintain [my form], I think you start getting worse, so I am always looking to improve.
"Against spin, I was trying to get forward to smother the ball and it kind of worked for me. My head is a lot further forward than it used to be in my set-up. But mainly it's just my attitude. I am trying to embrace failure more and accepting it is part of the game. So, I'm trying to stick with that," he added.
Sharing insights into his training regimen, Crawley revealed techniques he used to enhance his batting skills, including facing high-speed deliveries from bowling machines. However, facing bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah posed unique challenges due to his pace and unorthodox action, requiring quick decision-making and adaptability on the field.
"I was certainly conscious of that in the summer against the Aussies," he said. "I just thought, 'there are a couple of good balls in here, I just need to put them under pressure early', so that was more of a conscious effort," he concluded.
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