Ravi Bopara's big opportunity

At first glance, Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara wouldn’t appear to have much in common as cricketers.

The first extracted the absolute maximum out of his abilities to have a long and successful international career, whilst the latter has yet to justify his obvious talent consistently on the biggest stage. Collingwood is one of the mentally toughest cricketers to have played for England whereas Bopara has a reputation for being a bit flaky and prone to serious lapses in form, confidence and concentration.

But Bopara was the man Andy Flower initially earmarked as Collingwood’s replacement in the Test side before Eoin Morgan stole the prize from the Essex man at the death prior to the home series with Sri Lanka last summer.

Since then Bopara had suffered misfortune after misfortune as first Samit Patel and then Jonathan Bairstow were handed opportunities to cement a role in England’s troublesome number six position.

But finally Bopara has got his turn again, and after an inauspicious duck in the 1^st innings at The Oval now has the chance to prove he is a worthy successor to Collingwood. The Ginger Ninja cemented his reputation as the iron-willed Brigadier Block with starring roles in the nine-wicket down rearguards at Cardiff, Centurion and Cape Town.

As Geoffrey Boycott forcibly stated on TMS yesterday evening, the mindset required to save a Test is markedly different to coming in and playing a few strokes. Does Bopara have the aptitude, concentration and sheer bloody-mindedness to tough it out on a day five pitch against a formidable attack spearheaded by the irrepressible Dale Steyn?

We are about to find out. If Bopara leads England to an unlikely escape, it could be the making of him.

Where next?

Cricket heroes: Paul Collingwood

Is Ravi Bopara the unluckiest cricketer in the world?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

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Comments

[greyblazer]

And he fails. Defend, defend and try to play like S'wag and get out. Play your natural game and don't copy someone else but Bops doesn't do it.

[Ian Jackson]

Talk about lack of mental fortitude - nought out of ten for Swann, closely followed by Prior. Full explanation pending.

Ian Jackson

PS : Sir Jack Hobbs was a great batsman, Jacques Kallis is a great all-rounder. Who is Sir Jacques Hobbs?!!

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[Jack]

I wonder how much more longer he will get? He hasn't scored enough runs in the ODI's against South Africa, I reckon the extra pressure he has obviously put on himself by dropping out of the Test series has told.

Any credits he built up in the Aussie series has probably gone now.

[livescore]

I totally agree with you that Ravi Bopara can be a worthy successor for Paul Collingwood as he is a good middle-order batsman, he can stick around and can build a partnership,and can stay on the crease for longer periods of time just as Collingwood used to do.So it's a big opportunity for someone like Bopara to seal his place.

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[owen]

very nice blog bro!

[Pay per head]

I also really think that it was such a good opportunity for Ravi Bopara and I hope he took advantage of it because he is a good fella!

[scorespro]

Ravi is good player and he has potential to do something extra ordinary and impressive but i will say he has to work hard to get good form.

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