IND vs ENG, 'Never play for turn on turning pitches' rotate strike: Anshuman Gaekwad

Former India batsman Anshuman Gaekwad was considered a 'wall' during his playing days for his ability to bat with patience and determination, be at Sabina Park in Jamaica against a furious Wes

How tough is sweeping on these wickets?

It all depends on how good you are at sweeping. Normally, you sweep the ball which is outside the off-stump or outside the leg-stump. If you sweep a straight ball, the moment you miss you is gone. Your judgment has to be very, very perfect as far as sweeping is concerned.

On such tracks not just sweeping but also playing a cover drive, a square drive, late cut, on-drive, everything has to be precise. If you are in doubt, you just don't play a shot. Both Indian and English batsmen played predetermined shots, the way they got out. They would come on the front foot and play for the turn but they left a lot of gap between bat and pad and they got out.

What is the safest shot to play on such surfaces?

You have to wait for the loose ball. If you don't get it, then try ones and twos, i.e. rotate the strike. I would say that the best way is to rotate the strike. That way you disturb the bowler also. See, bowlers are not bowling machines. They will try something different, bowl a short ball, a half-volley. It is all about patience. You have to tire the bowlers and bat patiently. Make the bowler think and when he makes a mistake, score runs.

What made someone like Rohit Sharma click? He made scoring look so easy.

Rohit got runs because his shot selection was good. He played sweep shots, he played cover drive, he lifted the ball, played square cuts. You have to be very quick while making adjustments for these shots. That can happen only if you are good at reading the line and trajectory of the ball. Then only you will get into the correct position to play a shot.

Otherwise, you will get stuck and find scoring difficult. You have to position yourself either to defend, to leave, or play a shot. But you have to be quick. You cannot be 50-50.

When in doubt you don't have to play a shot, you just defend. On such wickets, you can't play half-cocked. A batsman has to make use of the crease. Space has to be used.

How would you rate the pitch for the third Test?

I don't think it was a bad wicket. Just because the ball turns, doesn't mean it is a bad wicket. But I thought the pitch for the second Test was more challenging than the one for the third Test. You could see dust flying. [Even there] Ashwin and Rohit got hundreds. Kohli and Rahane got runs. So, if you play well you can score runs on such wickets.