Brian Lara points out lack of aggression in West Indies before England series

Cricket legend Brian Lara recently shared his thoughts on the West Indies cricket team as they prepare for their upcoming series against England.

According to Lara, the West Indies team lacks aggression in Test cricket, which could be a significant disadvantage against a strong and dynamic England side.

England has revolutionized Test cricket in recent years with their aggressive and attacking style of play. They often score quickly, which has allowed them to dominate many of their opponents. Although this approach has sometimes led to struggles, it has made England one of the most formidable teams in Test cricket history.

Lara pointed out that the West Indies, on the other hand, tend to play more cautiously, which could put them at a disadvantage. He emphasized that the West Indies' slower scoring rate of about 2.5 to 3 runs per over is not enough to keep up with England, who can score at a much faster rate of 5 to 6 runs per over. This difference in scoring speed could greatly influence the outcome of the matches.

“I don’t think first of all, as a batting team, that (aggression) is our style, which actually is a little bit of a negative. If you’re going to come up against a side that’s scoring at five and six runs an over and you’re just going to score at 2.5, three runs an over, that in itself is asking for trouble,” said Lara in an interview on Sky Sports.

Lara praised England for their bold batting style and stressed the importance of the West Indies bowlers taking early wickets to put pressure on the England team, which is led by Ben Stokes. He added that for the West Indies to win and take the lead in the series, they need to take a strong first-innings lead.

“England is playing a style of cricket that is difficult to beat them, coming from behind. We’ve got to get them out cheaply in the first innings to stay in front of the game. If you get behind England – with the pace they play the game at – it’s impossible to get back into the game,” he further added.

The West Indies tour of England is set to begin on July 10 at Lord’s. This series will be particularly significant as it marks the final international match for legendary England fast bowler James Anderson.