"He made a big error" - Sir Geoffrey Boycott On Ben Stokes opening with 2 spinners in 4th innings of IND vs ENG 4th Test
Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott questioned Ben Stokes' move to open with two spinners in the fourth innings in Ranchi when they had only 192 to defend. Boycott reckons it was a 'big error' and suggested that Joe Root and Tom Hartley are not experienced enough to bowl with the new ball.
With the pitch playing tricks and favouring spin, Stokes decided to bring Tom Hartley and Joe Root as spinners. While the pair created some nervous moments for the Indian openers, they failed to strike early as Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal shaved off 40 runs from 8 overs on day 3.
In his column for The Telegraph, Boycott stated that the lacquer's presence on the new ball makes it slip out of the fingers, making it difficult to land it on the correct spot. Hence, the 83-year-old feels Stokes had 'out-thought' himself.
"England only had 192 to defend. I like Stokes’s captaincy but I thought he made a big error by opening the bowling with two spinners, Root and Tom Hartley. The problem is that unless you are experienced at bowling spin with a new ball then the lacquer makes it slip out of the fingers so it is difficult to drop it on a length.
"When I played, spinners could rub the ball in the dirt to rough it up and grip it better but that is banned now so it is hard for them to control. I think Stokes out-thought himself."
The veteran also felt the young spinners did an outstanding job, and it was the batters that failed them.
"The young spinners had done pretty well but they were never going to out bowl India. Ours are not to blame. It is the batsmen. This was a match of mistakes and missed opportunities. England should be kicking themselves for losing. Winning the toss and batting first on a dry cracked result pitch and then making a total of 353 should have been a winner."
Hartley and Bashir have arguably been the finds for England on the tour. The former took seven wickets in the fourth innings in Hyderabad to bowl the tourists to victory. Meanwhile, Bashir picked up 8 scalps in Ranchi, including a fifer in the first innings.
"He should have opened the bowling" - Sir Geoffrey Boycott on James Anderson
Boycott reckons James Anderson should have operated with the new ball, given how he bowls economically and has had Rohit Sharma's number of late. He added:
"Jimmy Anderson is there for the new ball. He dismissed Rohit Sharma in the first innings. One thing about Anderson is that he doesn’t give any runs away. He is a mean bowler. He should have opened the bowling but really the game and series was lost by the batsmen."
In fact, Anderson sent down only three overs in the fourth innings.