Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar has advised India’s fast bowlers to bowl a fuller length in the upcoming five-match Test series against England. Manjrekar recalled that India’s veteran pacer Ishant Sharma used to bowl a short length in English conditions and he consistently went past the outside edge but failed to produce it.

Jasprit Bumrah will lead India’s pace attack in England and he will have the company of Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna. Bumrah is going to hold the key for the visitors, and the tourists will depend hugely on his shoulders.

Sanjay Manjrekar wrote in his column for Hindustan Times, “Remember Ishant always beating the bat but never getting the edge? That was because of the length. Because of the flat nature and low bounce on our pitches Indian seamers tend to naturally bowl a bit shorter. In England though, this Indian length will make you an ‘unlucky Ishant’.”

“We think life for bowlers is easier when it comes to adjusting, all they have to do is keep pegging away outside off. Sure, line is important but length is more so. Getting fuller into an area where a batter is forced to get onto the front foot and get tempted to drive or push is the length that will make you a star bowler in England.”

Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna, who is a hit-the-deck bowler, is known to bowl short and Manjrekar reckons the Karnataka pacer would need to change his usual length.

“Prasidh especially, would have to work on this as his natural length is much shorter. Interestingly again, this short length is what made him a runaway success in IPL. As we can see T20 cricket and Test cricket are constantly working against each other when it comes to skill development, what’s needed to excel in T20s will be the cause for your downfall in Tests,” said Manjrekar.

The opening Test match between India and England will be played at Leeds, Headingley, from June 20 onwards.