"Amazed at how timid India’s batters have been" - Michael Vaughan criticizes the Rohit Sharma-led side
Published - 26 Feb 2024, 04:36 PM
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Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticized Indian batters for their lackluster performance in the second innings of the fourth Test. Michael Vaughan credited England’s spinners and skipper Ben Stokes for their outstanding displays in the fourth day’s play.
Chasing 192 to win the match and the series, India resumed play on the fourth day at 40/0 at Ranchi’s JSCA International Stadium. However, the home team lost three wickets in the first session, collapsing to 100/3. Joe Root drew first blood by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for 37 runs off 44 deliveries while attempting an attacking shot against Joe Root. Rohit Sharma completed his half-century but was dismissed after scoring 55. Left-arm spinner Tom Hartley got rid of the Indian skipper in the first session.
Rajat Patidar’s batting woes continued as he was dismissed for a duck. The team ended the first session at 118/3. The visiting team picked up back-to-back wickets after the lunch break. Shoaib Bashir dismissed Ravindra Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan, restricting India to 120/5.
Englands Spinners & The Captain Have Given Them A Great Chance – Michael Vaughan
After India’s collapse, Michael Vaughan took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his views. Vaughan criticized India’s batters for their timid approach while praising England’s spinners and Ben Stokes.
“The brilliance of Englands spinners & the captain have given them a great chance now .. amazed at how timid India’s batters have been .. #INDvENG,” Vaughan wrote.
The brilliance of Englands spinners & the captain have given them a great chance now .. amazed at how timid India’s batters have been .. #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 26, 2024
However, Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel negotiated the English spinners without much difficulty. The duo successfully helped the Indian team chase down the target without losing any further wickets. Gill scored 52 runs, while Jurel contributed 39 runs in the final innings.
We Were Put Under Pressure By Them – Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill acknowledged the pressure applied by England’s bowlers to Indian batters. Gill noted the crucial role played by Dhruv Jurel in easing the pressure with his batting. Gill emphasized the importance of adapting to the situation.
“We were put under pressure by them, but we got a good start by our openers, losing couple of wickets put pressure. But Jurel came out and took the pressure off. You have to see the situation and play accordingly – they were bowling well and protecting the boundaries, also not giving maidens and keep picking the singles (was the mindset). I just told him (Jurel) you batted beautifully in the first innings and to have the same mindset, try to use the feet to negate the off-spinner. The way he came down and played was beautiful,” Gill said.
Despite winning the opening Test in Hyderabad, Ben Stokes and his team faced comprehensive defeats in the next two matches. They fought hard to keep the series alive during the fourth match in Ranchi. However, the Rohit Sharma-led side continued dominance as they secured a convincing 5-wicket victory, leading the five-match series 3-1.
The fifth and final Test between India and England is scheduled to be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, starting on March 7.
