India vs Eng 3rd Test: Virat Kohli’s captaincy is infectious, says Dawid Malan

Dawid Malan last played a Test against India at Birmingham in August 2018. The hosts are down 0-1 after losing the second Test at Lord's by 151 runs, with the Indian pacers led by Mohammed Siraj wreaking havoc.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli bats during a training session at Headingley in Leeds ahead of the 3rd Test against England. (Source: Twitter)

In awe of India’s in-form bowling attack, swashbuckling England batsman Dawid Malan on Tuesday (August 24) said the ‘well-led’ visiting team has got the firepower to win Tests in all conditions. The two teams will clash in the third Tests starting here on Wednesday with India leading 1-0 in the five-match series.

“I think they (India) are very well led; I think Virat (Kohli), the way he goes about his business, he is very infectious and you know he drags a lot of people with him,” Malan said in the pre-match press conference. “They (India) have also got a lot of depth not only in their batting but in their bowling as well, they have got bowlers that can win Test cricket in all conditions.

“...They just have a lot of depth and they are fantastic competitors,” added the 33-year-old Malan, a left-handed top-order batsman, who has been recalled to the Test team.

Malan last played a Test against India at Birmingham in August 2018. The hosts are down 0-1 after losing the second Test at Lord's by 151 runs, with the Indian pacers led by Mohammed Siraj wreaking havoc.

Training

The third Test gets underway tomorrow!#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/aYLPWazWu9

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 24, 2021

England skipper Joe Root on Monday had said that the addition of Malan will bolster the top-three of his side and hopefully it will result in a good outcome, in the third Test. Malan has scored 724 runs from 15 Tests after making his debut against South Africa in 2017.

Asked specifically whether he has a different approach and the challenges he has faced while batting at No. 3 Malan said, “It is actually not something that I have done a lot in my career in red-ball cricket, I might have done it 25 or 30 times. I try and play the same way, however, I play.”

“I try and defend late, I try and leave as far as I can and try and put the bad ball away and I don't think that changes much in the position,” he explained.

“If they bowl me 30 good balls and I manage to survive those 30 good balls then hopefully in the next 30 you get some bad balls...I just walk and play the same way as I would be batting at four, where I have batted the majority of my career and hopefully what I have is good enough to succeed,” he signed off.

(with PTI inputs)