England v Sri Lanka: Nick Compton must play own game - Geoffrey Boycott

Under-pressure England batsman Nick Compton must play his own game and not get "sucked in" to reckless shots, says ex-England opener Geoffrey Boycott.

Compton was caught top-edging a pull for nine on day one of the second Test against Sri Lanka and has gone seven innings without passing 30 for England.

"If the selectors are picking him to play a certain way, that's the way he should play," Boycott said after England finished day one on 310-6.

"Somebody needs to have a word."

Compton has a Test strike rate of 35.47 and has faced criticism for his slow scoring, but Boycott says he should be allowed to stick to his natural approach.

"If you don't want him to play that anchor role, then don't pick him," the 75-year-old former England captain said.

"That's how he makes runs in county cricket, that's how he played in [England's first Test against South Africa in] Durban and helped win the Test.

"England have tried to play more positively in the last couple of years, but if he tries to get sucked in like that, he'll lose his wicket."

Middlesex's Compton, 32, himself has admitted that other batsmen in the England line-up are more entertaining, saying: "The way that I play doesn't always look that pretty.

"If I was sitting on the couch I'd rather watch [Ben] Stokes [hit] 200. I'm by no means unaware of that."

Listen to Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott review the day's play on the TMS podcast.