I need to score more runs: Watson

Australia vice-captain rues batting form against India.

Australia’s Shane Watson, who took over from injured captain Michael Clarke for the last Test against India, admitted that he may be dropped unless he can find a way to start scoring big runs again after yet another disappointing series with the bat, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Watson managed only 99 runs at an average of 16.50 during the dismal Indian tour that ended with a 4-0 whitewash. This continued a long, unproductive batting stretch, where in the past two years he has made 627 Test runs at 24.11, and has not posted a century.

“There is no doubt that I need to score runs,” said Watson.

“As a batsman who’s batting in the top four at the moment, I need to score runs. Unfortunately, during this series I’ve scored nowhere near the [amount of] runs that I’ve wanted to, to be able to contribute to the team’s performance.

‘Tendulkar different from others’

Meanwhile, the Board of Cricket Control for India President N Srinivasan refused to discuss whether it was fair for the board to select out-of-form Sachin Tendulkar for Tests when Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag were made to sit out.

“Tendulkar is probably the greatest cricketer India has ever produced,” said Srinivasan.

“I don’t think it is wise to sit and analyse his performance series wise. He is different from others. It’s not fair on Tendulkar to be discussed at all.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2013.