Make sure you have your match on within your brain, not with the batsmen: Shoaib Akhtar to India pacers

Indian pacers have been doing exceedingly well in the last few years on overseas tours and they have only gone from strength to strength with every tour. Hence it is the first instance when India’s bowling attack is getting more attention than its batting on a foreign tour.

However, playing at home has always been advantageous for the English side and many believe that the hosts’ potent pace attack will have an edge over India. Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar also believes the pace duo of Jofra Archer and James Anderson apart from the other quality bowlers, that England have in its ranks, are going to pose a great deal of threat to the Indians in the upcoming series.

“The English bowlers have an edge, especially Archer and Anderson. We all know the history between Anderson and Virat Kohli. Of course, they have the upper hand as they are playing in their home conditions,” said Akhtar on the English bowling attack.

The legendary pacer, however, advised the Indian fast bowling unit to hit the deck with a lot of aggression and pace and also balance it with the variation.

“The aggression of the fast bowlers is in their length. People think that I was aggressive because of bowling bouncers, but no. I was aggressive because I was constantly hitting the right areas, and with the pace, with the variation in pace. So, whoever goes in from the Indian side (in the Test series), just remember to hit the deck with a lot of aggression and a lot of pace. And keep doing this variation throughout, which is the most important thing,” Akhtar added further.

The Pakistani pace legend suggested to the Indian pacers that once they find ‘aggression in length’, they shouldn’t let it go.

“Once you find your aggression in length, then don’t let that go. Make sure you have your match on within your brain, not with the batsmen. It is my skill that is going to outsmart you out there. This is the mindset that you should have. It’s not about people who are holding the bad days or enemies of yours, no, it is your skill which is your best enemy, who is not letting you or allowing you to display that talent. In order to display that talent, you have to go through the pain barrier,” Akhtar further said.