Zak Crawley is a vital cog in England’s Bazball machinery. He has formed a successful opening partnership with Ben Duckett and they try to ensure the team is off to a quick start.
The Crawley-Duckett firm played its part in England’s come-from-behind win in the first Test at Hyderabad. The visitors had arrived in India after a preparatory camp in Abu Dhabi and chose not to play any tour game.
The way they batted — especially Ollie Pope — suggested that their training must have been on the right track in the Gulf country. “It was exactly how we trained in Abu Dhabi,” Crawley said at a press conference. “We had wickets there that turned a lot. It was a really good training camp for us, as we could control the conditions.”
