VVS Laxman thinks Anderson exposed Murali Vijay's technique in the Lord's Test

Green pitch, overcast conditions, new shining dukes ball and James Anderson this is as good as it gets and Murali Vijay understands it the best today. On the second day of the Test match when rain gods allowed the toss to happen Joe Root won and decided to bowl first. It all panned out just the way Anderson would’ve planned in his head and he produced a beautiful delivery to get his man in the very first over.

He bowled the first four balls in his regular style flirting in the zone of uncertainty outside the off-stump. The fifth ball was different, it was pitched up angling into the batsman but the seam was pointing towards the slip cordon which is a firm indicator that it will at least hold its line if not move away. Vijay very early in the morning, with little feat movement played for its trajectory.

Vijay closed the face of the bat

He thought it was heading towards the on-side and thus decided to flick it. But the ball shaped away and kissed his off-stump. It was a beauty and Vijay had no answers. Anderson was ecstatic so were all the other Brits. While most thought it was Anderson’s brilliance that got him, VVS Laxman is of the opinion that the Indian opener’s technique against the moving ball was exposed this time.

“He’s got a very good temperament, he plays with a lot of patience and perfect but today I think the technique was exposed,” Laxman said while talking on ESPNcricinfo.

He described a trait of the Tamil Nadu batsman as he usually plays the ball straight and just close to his body early on in the innings but this time he closed the face of the bat in his attempt to tuck it on the on-side.

“Early in his innings, Vijay always looks to play in the ‘v’ whereas today he just closed the face. Credit to Anderson … right from the first ball he was asking tough questions and used the conditions really well. The down flow of the bat was not perfect, as he would have liked it to be. I think Murali Vijay, seeing that wicket, will be really disappointed,” the former Indian cricketer added.

India’s best batter overseas

Vijay was the most successful batsman for Team India when they toured England last time, while all the other batsmen struggled with the outside off problem he brought his leave game to the fore. He left most deliveries that didn’t force him to play and made the best of the loose balls. He has been extremely consistent especially on overseas tours in tough conditions and a lot was expected of him this time around as well and that’s why Laxman is disappointed.

“We always expect a lot from Vijay the opener for the simple reason that in the last round of overseas tours in 2013 and 2014, he was probably the most consistent batsman. And in a crucial position, that of an opener,” Laxman said. “Today’s dismissal … that’s not something you expect from Murali Vijay.”

For all the latest cricket news and other updates follow CricTracker.