'No doubt he will be mindful of the lean patch he is going through' - VVS Laxman pushes Pujara to replicate Dravid in England

India will be up against England for all important five-match Test series which will mark the commencement of the 2021-23 cycle of the World Test Championship. In the same light, former Indian batsman VVS Laxman added that it would be a great test for Indian batsmen to get going against the Duke ball. India have lost their last three-Test series in England which came on the back of below-average batting performance brought out by them.

In the same context, Laxman wants Indian batsmen to perform well and he wants Cheteshwar Pujara to take the lead who is going through a lean patch. Pujara has constantly failed to bring good numbers on the table after a series in Australia. He has just scored a fifty after the Australia series which came in this February against England.

“There is no doubt that Pujara will be mindful of the lean patch he is going through, as far as scoring those big fifties or scoring those hundreds and you expect a lot from Pujara at the No.3 position because that is a very important position along with both the openers,” said Laxman while being on a discussion on Star Sports.

Rahul Dravid fired in the 2007 tour of England

India last won the Test series on English soil in 2002 where legendary batsman Rahul Dravid fired like anything. He scored 602 runs in four matches and continued his stellar form in the coming series as well. Laxman believes if Pujara can repeat the heroics of Dravid, India would be unstoppable. Given Pujara’s lean patch in the current time, it would be difficult to say if he will be able to replicate the Dravid of 2007.

“In 2002 and 2007, the reason behind our victories on those two tours was because our top order and our No.3 batsman, which was Rahul Dravid, they fired. Once the top order sets a very good foundation, it allows the middle-order batsmen to come and play their natural game and while doing that you post a very healthy total in the first innings and you are always dictating the terms,” added Laxman