England vs India 2018: Trevor Bayliss Defends England's Slip Fielding
Updated - 10 Jan 2019, 01:31 AM
England head coach, Trevor Bayliss has defended his side’s slip catching after the fielders’ dismal show in first England vs India Test at Edgbaston. While England managed to win the first game at Edgbaston by 31 runs, it was not the performance that would make the team management utterly happy.
The hosts were poor with the bat and horrendous with their slip fielding. In both the innings, they suffered an inexplicable collapse.
But the bowlers made up for it by firing them to a thrilling 31-run win. What made matters worse for England was their butter-fingered fielders.
No one will be more relieved that England won other than Dawid Malan, who dropped Virat Kohli on 21 and 51 in the first innings. As a result, the India skipper went on to score a splendid 149. In the second innings too, Malan struggled. He put down Murali Vijay at the start of India’s second innings, while Alastair Cook missed a chance from Hardik Pandya.
That England’s slip cordon is far from being settled is very well known now. Keaton Jennings was in the cordon for the first over of India’s first innings, and out of it for the second.
However, Trevor Bayliss defended England’s slip catching and insisted the best fielders were already in the cordon.
But at the same time, Trevor Bayliss said Joe Root was not as reliable in the slips as he was sometimes presumed and that Ben Stokes was reluctant to field there. Instead, he suggested Jos Buttler could be the man to replace Malan.
“We’ve got our best slippers in the cordon at the moment,” Bayliss said. “That’s why Joe Root is not in there. I know Stokesy will get brought up, but he’s a very reluctant slipper. And he can’t be in 10 places, unfortunately.
“It is just a confidence thing. It’s just that bit of anxiety or stiffening of hands as it comes along. We’re doing plenty of work on it. It’s just disappointing, more so for them than anyone else.
“Buttler’s only just entered the team, and he seems to be going pretty well there. I think you’ll see him in and around there a lot more often going forward. Keaton Jennings looks like he moves pretty well in there also,” he added.
