Published: Sep 07, 2013, 05:50 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 07, 2013, 05:50 PM (IST)
Ravi Bopara is hoping to get some runs during England’s five-match ODI series against Australia © Getty Images
Sep 7, 2013
England batsman Ravi Bopara has said that he intends to get some runs under his belt in the limited-overs format of the game and keep knocking on the selectors’ door for a Test berth till he gets it.
“I don’t know where I stand right now, but I know I’ve got to get runs – it’s a simple formula. If you keep putting results on the board, knocking at that door, eventually someone’s going to open it,” Bopara said, as reported by www.cricket365.com
“My plan is to be annoying, just tick along at that door and hope one day someone comes along and opens it — and I get my chance. This is pretty much my plan to get back into the Test team at some stage,” he added.
Former England cricketer David Lloyd also spoke about Bopara’s role in the England side and said that the selectors need to make up their mind as to where they see him play.
“I find the positions that Ravi has batted in quite staggering and England have got to make their mind up as to what his role is, and perhaps let me know” Lloyd said, as reported by Sky Sports.
“Bopara has played 90 times for England in ODIs. He has opened 14 times, batted at three six times, 19 times at four, nine at five, 12 at six, 18 at seven and five at eight. That’s confusion, to me. I think he’s a wonderful player in all forms of the game.
“There are one or two players in England’s team who are immoveable feasts. Do you think Alastair Cook would ever bat six? That’s not going to happen, but it’s okay for Ravi Bopara to open — or bat at six, four and five and seven and eight.
His bosses need to make him fully aware of what his role is. He needs a settled place. “If England are to win a World Cup they’ll have to decide – and they might have to be quite brutal – as to what their best line-up is.”
“I don’t think they’re losing anything if Kevin Pietersen or Joe Root opens in place of Cook in this series or if James Tredwell plays instead of Swann — and give Anderson a rest and get him ready for the Tests,” he concluded.
