Leeds, (Samajweekly) England pace bowler Ollie Robinson on Saturday said that he picked on senior teammate James Anderson’s brain ahead of the third Test which helped him put in player-of-the-match performance.
The right-armer Robinson took 5/65 in the second innings on Saturday to go with his 2/16 in the first innings as he ran through the Indian batting on the fourth day to help England register an innings and 76 runs win.
“I noticed that Jimmy’s (James Anderson) normal grip was slightly differently from the way I hold and a few others hold it. I spoke to him when I got back to Headingley after the break and just tried to practice in the nets. It went quite nicely in the nets. Tried it in the nets and it worked quite well,” said Robinson to media after the end of the third Test.
“And I need to practice a bit more but this learning from Jimmy is invaluable at this stage of my career and luckily, it came off today.”
The 27-year-old, who has now played four Tests and taken 23 wickets, has called Anderson as one of his closest friends in the England camp.
“Since I have come into the England environment, he has been one of my closest friends. Speaks to me at the end of the day. To learn from him is a bonus. I have not seen the side of him (grumpy, reserved) that others may say,” the pacer said.
“I am learning a few things that I won’t reveal. Want to try and improve myself all the time really. I am learning from Jimmy and Jon Lewis, the bowling coach,” he added.
Robinson said he was confident he will be among wickets at the Test match level.
“Over the last 3-4 years in county cricket, I have been up there among the leading wicket-takers, getting good players or overseas players out often. I knew if I stepped up to Test cricket, I would be able to do well and luckily I was able to.”
Robinson made his Test debut against New Zealand in June. However, on the day of his debut, his old, racist tweets emerged on social media forcing England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to suspend him.
He served his suspension and returned to the national side in the ongoing Test series versus India.
“When you are performing, obviously, the scrutiny is off you a little bit. I trying to work on it to become a better person.”
