New Delhi [India], November 25 (ANI): Former India cricketer Suresh Raina said that India's Test batters need to play more first-class cricket to build long-duration batting skills.

Raina pointed out that great Indian players of the past--like Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar, Sehwag and Gambhir--succeeded by learning to bat through multiple sessions.

Team India are staring down the barrel against South Africa in the ongoing second Test of the series, being played in Guwahati. India, who are already 0-1 down against the Proteas in the two-Test series, have batted poorly in both the Tests, especially against spin.

Speaking to ANI, Raina mentioned that the Indian batters need to play more first-class cricket to improve their batting skills. He pointed out that there was not sufficient cricket played between the Australia ODIs and the Tests against South Africa.

'I think they have to play first-class cricket more. Because there was not much cricket played between the South Africa Tests and the Australia ODIs. After Australia, they went straight to Calcutta. You have to bat for 3 sessions. We have seen great Indian players play Tests that way. Laxman bhai (VVS Laxman), Rahul bhai (Rahul Dravid), Sachin paaji (Sachin Tendulkar), Viru bhai (Virender Sehwag) and Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir) used to play that way,' Raina said.

Raina added that India's batters need a different approach in practice because they are repeatedly making mistakes. He noted that after New Zealand, South Africa are now dominating against India in their own den. While India's spinners are good, he said the batting application must improve. He acknowledged it's a difficult phase but expressed hope that things will get better.

'You have to practise differently because we're making back-to-back mistakes. Earlier it was New Zealand; now we are seeing South Africa dominate. They have just won the World Test Championship. So, they came prepared. You see, there is Simon Harmer. Aiden Makaram is playing well. Keshav Maharaj is playing well. Our spinners are also good. But the application needs to be better by our batters. It's a bad time. But I hope things will improve in the future,' the former Indian southpaw added.

After losing the first Test against South Africa by 30 runs, India are precariously placed at 27-2 and need 522 more runs to win and level the series, an outcome that seems highly unlikely. (ANI).