“It goes without saying at the moment that he doesn’t look like a Test match opener” – Nasser Hussain on Dan Lawrence

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain reckons English opener Dan Lawrence doesn’t look fit to be a Test match opener. Lawrence struggled to deliver the goods against Sri Lanka and the right-hander was dismissed after scoring a run-a-ball 35 in the second innings of the third Test match at Kennington Oval, London on Sunday.

The 27-year-old from London could only manage 120 runs at an average of 20 in the three Test matches he played against Sri Lanka in the ongoing series. The right-hander has scored 631 runs in 13 Test matches at an average of 27.83.

England was skittled out for a paltry score of 156 runs in the second innings of the third Test match and Sri Lanka need another 125 runs to win with nine wickets in hand.

“Now, as a player averaging 37 in first-class cricket, he has a choice: either copy the tactic of Sir Alastair Cook, leaving the ball outside off-stump and forcing opponents to come to you,” Hussain wrote for his column in the Daily Mail.

Hussain reckons Lawrence needs to work hard on the off-side game and he should become more patient in his batting approach.

“Lawrence has got to work out – whatever position he plays, because even in the middle-order they can still bowl outside off-stump – whether he is going to develop patience, become better in that area outside off or maintain ‘that’s the way I play.’ Whether it be with his county Surrey or with the England coaches, he needs to find his answer,” he added.

The former English skipper feels Lawrence looks vulnerable against the moving ball in tough home conditions.

“It goes without saying at the moment that he doesn’t look like a Test match opener. Sri Lanka have bowled both sides of the wicket with the new ball, but others won’t. This regime of Rob Key and Brendon McCullum talk about picking players with high ceilings and he’s still someone you’d identify as having the potential for big innings. Just not in that position, against the new Dukes ball nipping around in that corridor outside off-stump, in English conditions. Bowl there and he looks very vulnerable,” Hussain opined.

Lawrence will need to come up with a better batting show to retain his place in the Test team.