India vs England 2021: David Lloyd Questions England's Decision Of Playing Dom Bess In The Final Test
Published - 06 Mar 2021, 08:12 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:42 AM
Former England cricketer-turned commentator David Lloyd has questioned the Joe Root-led team-management’s tactics of including off-spinner Dom Bess as one of the three specialist bowlers in the fourth and final Test against India.
Dom Bess was dropped from the playing 11 after a poor outing in the second innings of the first Test where he failed to land the ball on a consistent basis.
Bess clearly looked nervous during the fourth Test as he once again failed to land the ball on a consistent basis. While the other English bowlers kept it tight, Dom Bess consistently released the pressure from the other end by dishing out half-trackers or full-tosses.
With Bess struggling, skipper Joe Root had to bring himself into the attack. Writing in his column for the ‘Daily Mail’, David Lloyd reckoned that Joe Root is a better spinner than Dom Bess at the moment and while he sympathizes with the 23-year-old, England should not have picked him.
“I feel for Dom Bess. He’s got the yips and I can tell you from personal experience that it’s not nice. You’re in a state of confusion and forget how to let the ball go. The only good thing is that it goes as quickly as it comes, but England should not have picked Bess. What made them think he had solved his problem of bowling full tosses? Joe Root is a better bowler than Bess at the moment,” David Lloyd wrote.
England spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel, on the other hand, came in the defense of Dom Bess, stating that the off-spinner is still learning the art of bowling in Test match cricket and that he will get better with the experience that he has gained during the winter.
“There’s still room for him to improve, like everyone in this group, he’s very young and he’s still learning how to bowl with a red ball at Test level, which is very difficult. He will be better with these experiences going forward,” Jeetan Patel said in a virtual press conference.
Tagged:
Joe Root
