Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg believes that the dismissal of Zak Crawley in the second innings was the right decision made by DRS, lashing out at the controversy surrounding the dismissal of the England opener and the subsequent DRS ruling that reversed the on-field call.
Zak Crawley threatened the Indian side on the verge of the record chase against India in Vizag. However, Kuldeep Yadav whacked him in the pads while he was batting on 73. The Right-handed batter was caught off guard on the back foot and initially ruled not out by the on-field umpire. When India opted to review, the DRS revealed that the ball had struck the leg stump, resulting in the decision being overturned.
Speaking on the dismissal, former left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg decoded Kuldeep Yadav’s dismissal delivery against Zak Crawley and believes it was the England opener’s fault for playing the ball on the back foot, and that the decision was correct in the end.
“I felt it was an attempted back spinner from Kuldeep that went straight on. I felt it was hitting the leg stump. It was Crawley’s fault that he played back to a delivery that should have been played forward. I felt it was out,” Brad Hogg said.
The drama surrounding the dismissal of Zak Crawley sparked outrage, with the England team management expressing his surprise with the decision. England captain Ben Stokes claimed he thought the technology got it wrong when it came to ball tracking, which showed the ball striking the stumps.
England Play Shots That Are Not Quite There – Brad Hogg
Brad Hogg also spoke to Zak Crawley’s dismissal in the first innings, while appreciating the opener’s and the England team’s aim to dominate the bowlers irrespective of the conditions and their mentality to attack the bowlers.
“Crawley got out playing a similar shot like that in the first innings. The intent is right. The idea to dominate the spinners is right. But sometimes they play shots that are not quite there, and it has happened quite a few times in this England team. England played with the right intent, but every now and then you will play a shot that’s not quite there,” Brad Hogg added.
Zak Crawley was the lone warrior in England’s batting order, holding his team’s innings together in both innings while watching wickets tumble at the other end. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav took 3/71 in 17 overs for England’s first innings in Visakhapatnam before picking up 1/60 in the second innings.
