INDIA TOUR OF ENGLAND, 2018

Trevor Bayliss takes aim at India's over-reliance on Kohli

by Vithushan Ehantharajah • Last updated on

"If we can put pressure on the other batters in the team, that's going to add to the pressure on him (Kohli)," Bayliss said © Getty

Trevor Bayliss believes England can prey on India's over-reliance on Virat Kohli. The India captain scored 200 runs in the first Test at Edgbaston, including a magnificent 149 that turned the game's India's way. However, he was helpless as other sources could only contribute 214. England sealed victory by 31 runs.

On Sunday, Kohli moved to the top of the ICC Test batting rankings, becoming the first Indian to occupy the position since Sachin Tendulkar in June 2011. Bayliss agrees with the assertion - "if he's not the best batter, he's very close to it" - but also sees India's dependency on his runs as a weakness to exploit.

"The way he played the first and second innings was high-class stuff," said Bayliss. "If we can put pressure on the other batters in the team, that's going to add to the pressure on him."

Just to underline how exceptional Kohli was at Edgbaston, it is worth noting he scored 22-per-cent of all runs in the Test. Both batting line-ups are fallible.

Though Bayliss takes heart from what he has seen so far of India's top six, he sees similar failings in his own line-up, too, particularly against the turning ball. It was a deficiency exploited by Ravichandran Ashwin, who took four for 63 and three for 59, including picking up Alastair Cook twice with identical deliveries clipping the top of off stump. Both teams have work to be done before the next match, which starts on Thursday.

Across both of England's innings, there were only three scores above 30 in the top six, all coming in the first innings: Keaton Jennings (42), Joe Root (80) and Jonny Bairstow (70). That, believes Bayliss, is the biggest issue to address.

"We're very much in the hunt here," said Bayliss. "When the ball's moving, we've shown that a few of their guys do struggle against the moving ball. I'm sure that they'll be going away working out how they can play it as we're going to be working on how to play the off spin.

"Certainly but I don't think it's any different for us. We've got a few guys who are not necessarily cemented in the team and that puts extra pressure on people like Root, Bairstow and those guys to make the big scores. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a concern. It always has been: losing plenty of wickets in quick succession."

Another failing of both sides was the slip-catching. England dropped four, including Kohli on 21. While Bayliss believes he has his best catchers in the cordon, an adjustment will have to be made after Malan, who dropped three catches including that one of Kohli, was dropped. Joe Root could re-enter the cordon, having moved into the outfield as captain.

But Bayliss sees it more as an issue of confidence rather than personnel.

"The more it gets spoken about in situations here like this. Just that bit of anxiety or stiffening of hands as it comes along. We're doing plenty of work on it. It's just disappointing, more so for them than anyone else."

© Cricbuzz

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