Michael Vaughan, former England captain, and broadcaster slammed the batters of both England and India for their lack of application on Day 1 of the Oval Test. He pointed out that there wasn’t any instance of the ball misbehaving. According to him, it was just poor batting on display.
After being put in to bat, India struggled to get going and scraped their way through to 191, courtesy of half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Shardul Thakur. England has already lost three wickets at the close of play on stumps at Day 1.
Michael Vaughan: Day 1 Of The 4th Test Was A Really Poor Day For The Craftsmanship Of Test Match Batting
Michael Vaughan stated that the ball was expected to move around in the overcast conditions, but it wasn’t an unplayable surface by any means.
Michael Vaughan said on BBC’s Test Match Special podcast: “We know at the Oval that you get a true bounce. I haven’t seen any ball kept low or bounce too much. You have got to expect a little bit of movement when the clouds are around. I think it’s been a very good day for bowling. I don’t think it has been a great day for catching. because there have been catches that have been dropped. I think it has been a really poor day for the craftsmanship of Test match batting.”
He further added that somebody ought to have put their hands up and scored that big knock on day 1.
“You can’t tell me that with the talent of players in both sides someone shouldn’t be getting a big score on that kind of surface.”
The fourth Test opened with the clatter of 13 wickets and, when the last of these fell moments before the close, Joe Root looking back at a set of stumps freshly rearranged by Umesh Yadav, the mood changed significantly.
Michael Vaughan: England Gifted A Couple Of Wickets
Michael Vaughan reckons that England gifted at least a couple of wickets to India in the last session. He marked his disappointment at the way opener Haseeb Hameed got out to a loose shot outside the off-stump.
“They gifted a couple of easy ones. Haseeb Hameed, opening the batting. Dots, dots, dots. Couldn’t get the scoreboard ticking. And all of a sudden he plays a big yaaahooo at a wide one. That’s not what opening batters should be doing.”
India has got the price scalp of Joe Root before stumps. Dawid Malan will resume the innings along with nightwatchman Craig Overton on Day 2. England trail India by 138 runs at the moment with 7 wickets in hand.
England’s reply began with the cheap removals of Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed, the pair unable to repeat the century stand witnessed at Headingley as Jasprit Bumrah bowled the former off the inside edge for five and then had the latter caught behind trying to open his account with an uppercut.
Umesh Yadav’s strikes in his first over of the 2nd day by sending back nightwatchman Craig Overton on 1 (12). An outswinger bowled by Umesh Yadav and Craig Overton went for a cut, getting an outside edge with Virat Kohli taking the catch.