England vs India 2018: England Should Stick With Keaton Jennings, Suggests Rob Key

Probably, for the first time, England openers fared pretty poorly at home conditions. However, it needed a stupendous bowling display by the Team India to floor Englishmen. Meanwhile, the pressure has consistently stayed with the young Keaton Jennings. However, former Three Lions batsman Rob Key wants England to persist with southpaw Jennings.

The 26-year-old Jennings once again has bitten the dust when he misread Jasprit Bumrah’s stunning inswinger.

India have bowled brilliantly at Keaton Jennings – Rob Key

Key feels that it would be unfair for the youngster if he gets dropped for the final Test at The Oval. The venue for the fifth Test is a batting paradise and asking someone new to score on it sends negative vibes to Jennings.

Key feels that Indians relentlessly applied pressure on the youngster. The former batsman Key added that even Alastair Cook and Joe Root found it difficult to handle the Indian pacers.

Moreover, Key wants them to stick with him for the final Test.

”I think England should give Keaton Jennings one more go at The Oval. There were a few enforced ones in this Test due to Jonny Bairstow’s finger and Chris Woakes’ injury but you don’t want to chop and change after a couple of bad games. The Oval is also generally the best place in the country to bat, so you don’t want to get to this point and miss out on a flat pitch,” Rob Key wrote on his blog.

 

”You could say Jennings looks like a man with a frazzled mind at the moment but India have bowled brilliantly at him – the pressure has been relentless, the bowlers have found a bit of swing and it’s hard against that new ball. You can’t imagine he will get out again like he did on day one here, leaving a ball that swung in a mile, as he will be looking to play it next time,” he added.

Jonny Bairstow could be the highest century scorer for England – Rob Key

Meanwhile, he furtherly added that Jonny Bairstow has got the ability to deal the best bowling attack on his day.

Key strongly believes that Bairstow has the ability to become the finest English batsman ever.

“I think, and I have said this for a long time, that Bairstow should be up there among England’s top hundred scorers by the end of his career. I hope this switch, which will allow him to focus on his batting, will help him do that,” Key remarked.

However, it would be interesting to see whether England management considers Key’s suggestion to stick with Keaton Jennings. Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow could get a long run at number four slot in Test cricket.