"He was by far the worst Indian seamer; Virat will have to answer that" - Michael Vaughan questions India's tactics of opening the bowling on Day 2 with Ishant Sharma
Former England captain vaughan" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michael Vaughan was perplexed by India’s decision to start Day 2 of the third Test with Ishant Sharma. India had to make an impact in the first hour of play and Vaughan wondered why they chose to go with the lanky pacer, who was by far the worst Indian seamer on Day 1.
Ishant Sharma has had a horrible couple of days on the field at Headingley. He has conceded over four runs per over so far and was all over the place with his line.
Michael Vaughan reckons it is the unwillingness to adapt that has cost India this Test so far. He added that Virat Kohli will have to answer for some of these strange tactics.
“You are looking at the start of the day’s play. Ishant Sharma was by far the worst Indian seamer yesterday. You start with him the next day, in an hour that you have to win, you (should) surely go to your best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. Shami didn’t take the new ball yesterday for whatever reason. And Virat will have to answer it and he will have to answer it quite heavily,” Michael Vaughan said on Test Match Special podcast.
The former Ashes-winning skipper pointed out how India need to adapt if they want to scale the heights befitting a quality Test team. Vaughan said:
“The best teams in the world adapt. This Indian team are a good team, but they can’t be up there with the great teams unless they are actually willing to accept that they need to arrive and do things differently.”
“That looks to me now like all histrionics and antiques” – Michael Vaughan questions India’s display of passion and bonding at Lord’s
Michael Vaughan lambasted India for their poor showing in the first two days of the third Test against England. He stated that a team that came off such a high at Lord’s and showed immense signs of bonding and team spirit can’t just meltdown to this level in a matter of a week.
“I think they should be careful that they don’t do things for show. For me, I saw at Lord’s, I thought it was brilliant that all their team came into the Long Room to greet that partnership (between Bumrah and Shami). I like that, in a team, I want to see that. But you can’t do things like that and arrive the week after and put in a performance like this. That doesn’t happen in real high-class cricket. That looks to me now like all histrionics and antiques, it just looks like it was for show. A team that is really together and fight in with that crunch of the situation, they don’t play like what we have seen India play in the last two days," Michael Vaughan stated.
Vaughan did not hide the disappointment he felt with the way the visitors have played so far.
“What really has happened to India in the last two days? They have arrived and played in these two days like a really poor cricket team.”
India were left with a mountain to climb at the end of Day 2. England closed the day on 423/8, with a lead of 345 runs and two wickets still in hand. Craig Overton (24*) and Ollie Robinson (0*) will walk out to bat for the hosts on Day 3.