England players 'need to take individual responsibility'

01/02/2012

England's batsmen need to take personal responsibility for finding solutions to the problems posed by Pakistan's spin bowling after the second Test calamity in Abu Dhabi, former England captain Alec Stewart has said.

Writing a column for BBC Sport, the most capped Test cricketer in England's history said players need "individual game plans" to tackle the likes of Saeed Ajmal.

"Each player has to take responsibility for his own game, for his own thought processes and for making sure he is doing his best to come up with the answers," Stewart said.

However, the former wicketkeeper-batsman argued, anyone other than India or Sri Lanka would have found chasing the target of 145 in Abu Dhabi difficult.  

Stewart played his last Test for England in 2003 on his home ground at the Kia Oval against South Africa and fans enjoying hospitality packages at the ground can see the same two teams in action again this summer.

Home fans may hope for a repeat of the result in that match, when England won by nine wickets.

By Keith Prowse