Bopara looking to the future again

By Paul Hiscock

While England battle it out against India in the second Test at Mumbai, one batsman who had been expected to face the challenge of batting on the sub-continent is honing his skills in the indoor nets in Chelmsford.

If everything had gone according to plan, Ravi Bopara would be part of Alastair Cook’s side for the winter Test series. But while Cook leads from the front in his first series as England's official Test captain, his Essex colleague is back home working hard towards regaining his place in the national squad.

Bopara had appeared a shoo-in for the trip to India while he was performing so effectively for England earlier in the summer. However the usually ebullient all-rounder was left shattered by personal problems that forced him to withdraw from the Test series with South Africa after the opening match and, when he did return for the one-day series that followed, the scars of his off-field trauma badly affected his batting form.

He could only manage a total of 34 runs from nine visits to the crease for England and Essex in that end-of-seasn period and he was, understandably, omitted for the tour to the sub-continent.

“I’ve always wanted to play for my country and also to do well for my county and so nothing’s changed there,” said Bopara. “I’ve had a little break and it’s now back to cricket, I’m practicing hard and enjoying it and I feel very positive about things.

“It was only the one series against South Africa that was disappointing. Before that, in the one-day series against Australia, I played really well, bowled really well and in fact I bowled well against South Africa too. It was just that one-day series against the South Africans with the bat that didn’t go well. Overall, though, I still don’t see it as a bad season.

“But that’s all in the past, I’m looking towards the future, I’m working hard at my game in an attempt to get back into the England side.”

That means a strict regime in the winter nets but one that the 27-year-old is facing with purpose. “It’s always a tough schedule during any winter with regards to fitness, and the time you spend indoors, and it can be frustrating," added Bopara. "But you know when you are working towards an objective that it’s just a matter of getting down to it and doing the job.”

 



Date: 23/11/2012 07:05:18 by Paul Hiscock
In: Today | England |