They Got The Tactics Completely Wrong - Michael Vaughan Slams England For Their Plans Against Jasprit Bumrah And Mohammed Shami

Former England captain Michael Vaughan lamented Joe Root’s tactics against the pair of Jasprit Bumrah And Mohammed Shami, something which the skipper also admitted, in India’s second innings on Day 5 at Lord’s.

He felt that England “were all over the place” with bizarre bowling plans as the Indian tailenders pair added 89 runs for the ninth wicket to bat the hosts out of the game. The hosts were then bowled out inside two sessions to hand the visitors a lead in the 5-match series.

England were on top of India when Ollie Robinson nipped out Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma. However, they attacked Bumrah and Shami with short balls, in a move to take revenge for Bumrah’s bouncer barrage to James Anderson late on Day 3. But their bowling was awry, as Bumrah and Shami, despite copping a few blows on the body, came out trumps with a match-turning stand.

“Jasprit Bumrah had more fielders on the boundary than Rishabh Pant. How can that happen when you’ve got players like Joe Root and James Anderson who have played over 100 Test matches? They got the tactics completely wrong,” Michael Vaughan told BCC.

“They were all over the place. I’ve got no idea what they were thinking. The key when you’re under pressure is to keep things simple. You’re bowling to tailenders, bowl to hit the top of off stump, don’t bowl short and wide,” he added.

I don’t think they will make a comeback from here: Michael Vaughan

Both teams will get more than a week’s rest before the third Test, which starts on August 25 at Headingley. But, Michael Vaughan doesn’t feel England will be able to make any sort of comeback in the remaining three matches.

He reckoned that the verbal spats between the two sides on Day 5 have spurred on India and it would be extremely difficult for Root’s side to control the visitors’ charge to a series win.

“England have prodded them. They have fired them up. It will take a very good England team to come back from here – and I don’t think they will. It’s going to be a long three Test matches from here,” the former skipper added.

Also Read: ICC Test Rankings: Joe Root Leapfrogs Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne Into Second Place