Former English skipper, Geoffrey Boycott reckons that England batsmen need to learn from the example of the Indian skipper, Virat Kohli in terms of how to bat on spin-friendly pitches. England was dismissed cheaply twice on a Chennai pitch offering a considerable turn, as the hosts won the second Test by a huge margin of 317 runs on Tuesday to level the four-match series at 1-1.

Even though pitches around the world have long varied because of differences in climate, Geoffrey Boycott said England should be taking the advantage of the Indian conditions — especially if they understood how Kohli followed being bowled for naught by off-spinner Moeen Ali in India’s first innings with a second-innings 62.

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Describing the same in his column for Daily Telegraph, Boycott said, “The great thing about Indian pitches is that they are not fast. You have time to adjust and pick your shots. Look at how Virat Kohli batted in the second innings when the pitch was bad. He used the odd sweep shot but stuck to the basics and batted superbly. Virat defended with determination, his footwork was superb and at all times he was careful and watchful.”

He further added, “His judgment of length was exceptional and his shot execution equally impressive. He showed that it is possible to bat properly,” insisted Boycott, who criticized England’s batsmen for trying to hit against the spin.”

Meanwhile, Boycott was glad that Joe Root and his men “did not whinge about the pitch”, adding criticism of a surface after an England defeat “sounds like sour grapes”.

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Elaborating the same, Geoffrey Boycott said, “Nothing in the laws of cricket says the pitch should be flat for batsmen,” Boycott said. “Every pitch in India spins. It is just a question of when and how much it turns.”

The third Test in Ahmedabad starts next Wednesday (February 24) followed by the final game at the same venue.