Lockdown: Bengal cricketers to take online sessions from Laxman to rectify Ranji mistakes

PTI, Apr 19, 2020, 9:49 AM IST

Kolkata: Confined to their respective homes amid a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Bengal cricketers will take one-on-one online sessions from their batting consultant VVS Laxman to “rectify the mistakes” that they committed during the Ranji Trophy season.

Bengal had reached the Ranji Trophy final after 13 years but their dream to lift the title for the first time since 1989-90 remained unfulfilled following a top-order batting failure, which saw Saurashtra claim their maiden crown on the basis of first innings lead.

“I spoke to our batting consultant VVS Laxman today. We will share the footages and clippings from the video analyst and there will be one-on-one sessions on how to improve further,” CAB president Avishek Dalmiya told PTI.

“Focus will also be given especially to the top-order batsmen so that performance can be better next season,” he said.

Avishek said Bengal video analyst Gautam Sarkar has already started preparing the video footages of the last season and the online sessions with Laxman will start in a few days’ time.

Saurashtra had amassed 425 in their first innings after electing to bat in the Ranji Trophy final. In reply, Bengal were 35/2 at one stage before being bundled out for 381, handing a title-deciding first innings lead to Saurashtra.

Opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, who had two double centuries to his credit in 2018-19, was a big let down for Bengal as he could manage just 258 runs from 17 innings at an average of 17.20.

Experienced Sudip Chatterjee also had a lacklustre outing with 170 runs from six innings (at 34.00).

Every time the top-order failed, it was the individual brilliance of Anustup Majumdar (704 runs with two centuries and three half-centuries) that carried Bengal batting forward.

Besides, Bengal’s young pace battery of Mukesh Kumar, Ishan Porel and Akash Deep also came to the fore with some good performances.