Exclusive - Fraser says England batters must improve in India

Angus Fraser insists England’s batsmen need to stand up and be counted in India.

Alastair Cook’s one-day side have suffered two heavy defeats in the first two matches of their five-match tour, and the Middlesex director of cricket says it’s the top order that have to carry the can.

Former England Test star Fraser told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast: “It’s not me being a bowler and having a go at the batters, but in India you’ve got to get big scores and England’s batsman have not looked like posting or chasing down a decent score yet.

“It’s not dynamic. You don’t feel England will get that crash, bang, wallop start you need.”

The current malaise in India is a far cry from the heady days of the English summer when the Indians were sent packing without winning a match in any form of the game, but Fraser admits people might have got a bit carried away with that success.

He added: “We were guilty of getting a bit giddy. The ODI series was actually pretty close. India didn’t win a game and it was maybe time to criticise and ridicule them for their attitude, but they could have won two of those three one-dayers had one or two things gone the other way.

“But things went England’s way at the back end of last summer.”