Strauss’ bold move against India may just backfire

By Richard Sydenham So, Andrew Strauss made 78 in the first innings against the Indians at Taunton. Does that mean his problems are over? Absolutely not; it was a risky move that still may backfire. Strauss’ unprecedented decision to seek permission from Somerset to play in this 3-day tour game – he is a Middlesex player normally – before next Thursday’s first Test at Lord’s was a bold one and he should be applauded for a daring, gung-ho attitude in trying to iron out his faults against left-arm pace. It was almost like arranging a fight with a wild lion to prove you have courage. There was no real need to set himself up for an unnecessary fall or to give a canny bowler like Zaheer Khan the extra incentive to gain an early morale-boosting initiative before the Test series had even begun. [caption id=“attachment_42315” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Andrew Strauss’ decision can come back to haunt him. AFP”]  [/caption] I suppose the positive side of this debate is to say that Strauss might have made 200 and therefore, put his demons to bed and also inflicted some psychological scars on the Indian bowlers. But that could also have been achieved at Lord’s. Ultimately, even though he has scored runs in the first innings and in good time too, he could yet get knocked over by Zaheer for next to nothing in the second innings and the doubts over his so-called vulnerabilities to that style of bowling will not have dispersed. Strauss made just 20 runs in his last three innings of the Sri Lanka series having been dismissed by left-arm fast bowler Chanaka Welegedera on each occasion. His honest assessment after that series, when asked if he had weaknesses in that department, was enlightening and certainly brutally honest. He basically said time will tell. Furthermore, Strauss made a 150 against the Sri Lankans in an early season tour match when Welegedera was bowling. But look what that did for him. Why would he want to give Zaheer the opportunity to chip away a little further at his confidence that must already be brittle? Strauss may be the undisputed Test captain and still a solid contributor at the top of the order, but with one Test century in the last two years, gradually his self-confidence out in the middle could slowly disintegrate. It would not have helped his cause and influence on the team either that Alastair Cook led England to a 3-2 win in his first series as one-day captain after Strauss opted to quit that format. All these aspects will soon add up. When we get to Lord’s, of course, the talk stops and whatever his weaknesses, or strengths, they will be worth nothing and only runs on the board will count. Strauss will be a huge cog in England’s wheel over the next few weeks, his consistent and solid batting as much as his leadership. So, England supporters can only hope that his foray into the West Country for Somerset will show that it was worth it in the long run. As for India, would they really not have eyed the potential for an early psychological victory over Strauss? Of course, they would. It will be interesting to see how this early battle will eventually impact proceedings.