Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has question India’s inept to tackle Moeen Ali. England’s all-rounder Moeen Ali, who played his first Test match of the series was the difference between two sides. Ali scalped nine wickets to continue his dream form against India at his favorite hunting ground of Southampton. The off-spinner had scalped eight wickets in the 2014 series at the same venue.
Ali was able to impress once again as he hit 28% of his deliveries in the crater and breathed down the Indian batsmen’s neck. However, it is cognizance of the fact that Indian batters are born and brought up on spinning tracks. Thus, they should have played Ali with more confidence.
India should have played Moeen better.
“Then, there was the ineptness against Moeen Ali which was harder to stomach especially as Indians are supposed to be good players of spin bowling. Where was the use of the feet to get to the pitch of the ball? Too much white ball cricket with its stand and hit method is ruining batting techniques,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his TOI column.
On the other hand, Alastair Cook will be playing his swansong. He has been a great server of England cricket as he has scored 12,254 runs. Meanwhile, India’s prodigy Prithvi Shaw is in contention to make his debut. Thus, the Little Master is looking forward to the fifth and final Test match.
“The Oval Test will be the last Test for Alastair Cook who has had a tremendous career for England and it could also be the start of a Test career for young Prithvi Shaw and that’s another compelling reason to look forward to the game,” Sunil Gavaskar further penned down.
England has bagged the series by 3-1 whereas India has let the chances slip away. The visitors will like to make it 3-2 in the fifth Test match which will take place at the Kennington Oval, London from 7th September.