Cricket cannot be one-man’s game. Only Virat Kohli played with passion and grit in the first Test against England. No other batsman supported him. The bowlers did their best but the batsmen failed to build on the advantage. I am reminded of the Barbados Test in 1997, where set a target of 120 in the fourth innings, India was pummelled into submission by Franklyn Rose. (‘Sport’ page, “Stokes lands knockout punch, England snatches a thriller”, August 5).
Nagarajamani M.V,
Hyderabad
India’s defeat in the first Test follows a similar pattern of the outcomes in the longer format of the game. A task made simpler by the Herculean efforts of the bowlers is wasted by the poor performance of willow-wielding stalwarts, many of whom are considered some of the most reliable batsmen in times of crisis.
Arun Malankar,
Mumbai