Azhar Ali Reveals the Secret to be a Successful Batsman in West Indies

Pakistan’s Test middle-order batsman, Azhar Ali believes that spending time on the pitch is the key to being successful in the Caribbean. Azhar revealed that swing plays a huge factor during the early hours of the day and not losing early wickets would be crucial for the batting side.

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Azhar said the conditions in Jamaica are usually favorable for the batsmen as the pitch has bounce and the ball comes onto the bat nicely. He was hopeful that the pitches in the upcoming Test series will be of a similar nature so that both the batsmen and the bowlers have something in it for them.

The 36-year old added that one of the key elements of batting in these conditions is the ability to absorb the pressure. He said that sometimes it can get frustrating for the batsmen as they will be unable to score runs for a long period of time but if they hold onto their nerves they can score heavily.

“Sometimes there are phases here where you do not get runs. At that time, you have to keep yourself calm. When you get an opportunity, for example, if you feel you can score against a spinner, then a batsman should take a chance. They also have to absorb pressure where they think taking a chance could lead to a fall of wicket,” Azhar remarked.

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The former captain also revealed that it gets harder to score runs as the ball gets older and softer because it does not come onto the bat as easily. He said that although the ball swings a lot early on it also provides the opportunity to score runs at a much rapid pace.

The first Test between the two countries is scheduled to begin on 12 August in Jamaica. The second Test will be played from 20-24 August in Jamaica as well.