London: Zaheer Abbas, a former captain of Pakistan and one-time president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), spoke to The Telegraph on Monday afternoon.

A batting great, Zaheer is in London and watched the India vs England Test at Lord's.

Excerpts... .

India batting for only 82.2 overs in the Test...

If you count the total number of overs (170.3), then the Test didn't even last two days. After all, 90 overs are supposed to be bowled daily... I never expected India's batsmen to give such a poor account of themselves... The first Test, at Edgbaston, had been close although I feel India should have got the runs on what became the final morning... I'd hoped the Lord's Test too would see a tight finish, but look at what happened... It was so embarrassing and, coming from the subcontinent, I felt bad.

Toss making a difference...

You can't say India would have bowled as well as England or that England would have batted as badly as India had Virat Kohli called correctly... Look, the weather does come into play in England and you have to back your skills, not depend on the toss. Cricket isn't played by depending on the spin of coin. There are no ifs and buts either.

India's batting...

The batsmen kept chasing the balls leaving them. Then, they never quite played with pad close to bat... It was as if India's batsmen were inviting the England bowlers to take their wickets. The ball seamed and swung, so the batsmen had to watch the bowler's arm till the end. You're dead if you don't... Of course, James Anderson is exceptional in home conditions. I doubt if India had a game plan to tackle him. But it's not only Anderson who got the wickets. Others did too, except Adil Rashid. He had no role to play in any department at Lord's!

Whether the issue is one of technique or mental...

It began as a problem of technique, but has become a mental issue as well... In sport, you cannot keep repeating mistakes. If you do, it has something to do with the mind. On paper, India's line-up is so formidable, but the batsmen have been exposed.

India hurt the most by...

Both openers (Murali Vijay, KL Rahul) failing in both innings... I would bat at No.3 and, invariably, had to face the new ball. I had no choice but to cope with what came my way. However, it's tough when the middle-order has to face the music so soon.

Possibility of Virat not recovering in time for the third Test, at Trent Bridge, from Saturday...

Achcha? That would be a massive blow. Virat is not only the captain, but your best batsman as well.

Advice to Virat...

Two things: Don't play if not 100 per cent fit. Secondly, believe your team can still make a comeback, although that would mean winning all three Tests that remain. As a challenge, that's huge.

India ranked No.1 in Test cricket...

(Laughs) Please get the ICC's reaction. Main uspe kya bolun?

Need for cricketers from India to play in the County Championship...

Would help, but there's already so much money in India, why come to England? We played for the Counties and that exposure provided invaluable education. Text books won't teach you cricket, actual experience of conditions will.

General observation...

India must look at left-handed batsmen.

Quality of England's attack...

Capable of winning matches on a regular basis, just like India's batsmen are tigers at home. Good teams, however, should be able to adapt overseas... I don't wish to get into an India vs Pakistan 'duel' but, earlier this very summer, we drew the Test series here 1-1.

Joe Root's captaincy...

I've always maintained that good teams make good captains. When the team is winning, everything is hunky-dory. The deficiencies, if any, only get noticed when the team isn't winning... Root looks in control.

Authoring two double hundreds in England, the first in 1971 and the other on the 1974 tour...

I played tightly and backed myself. The double hundreds (274, 240) came at Edgbaston and The Oval... If you lack confidence, you better not represent your country.

Last one... Predictably, Najam Sethi, a Nawaz Sharif appointee, has to go as the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman...

News from home is that Ehsan Mani, a former president of the ICC, could take over. Let me add that I have no first-hand information. We'll soon know.

Postscript: Till 11.45 pm (IST), there was no specific word from the India camp on the state of Virat's sore back.