"When we picked Tom Hartley, people raise their eyebrows.."- Brendon McCullum slams England critics

England coach Brendon McCullum lauded debutant Tom Hartley for his impactful bowling performance in the first Test against India. Brendon McCullum admitted that they took a punt with Tom Hartley, which paid off for them during the series opener in Hyderabad.

Tom Hartley made his debut against India in the first Test despite his limited experience in first-class cricket. The left-arm spinner had a forgettable outing in the first innings, conceding two sixes in his opening over. He recorded bowling figures of 2-131 in his 25 overs.

However, Hartley delivered a match-winning bowling performance to bowl out India in the second innings. The young bowler took seven wickets in 26.2 overs, conceding only 62 runs. He dismissed key batters, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill.

Tom Hartley Is A Tough Character – Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum highlighted skipper Ben Stokes’s remarkable handling of Tom Hartley to secure the Test win. McCullum acknowledged the challenges ahead in the long series and anticipated a strong response from India.

“Tom Hartley on debut, who has only played a handful of first-class games stepped up with the bowl. It was a punt selection,” McCullum said on SENZ Radio.

“We saw something in him that we thought will work over here. He is a tough character and the way the skipper handled him was quite remarkable as well. He obviously bowled us to the Test win.”

“There are so many different emotions. Guys have taken a lots of confidence with the Hyderabad win but we also know that it is a long series and we got some work to do. India will bounce back strong but we certainly celebrated last night,” he added.

England secured a 28-run victory in the first match by bowling out the Indian team for 202 runs on Day 4. Despite facing a significant deficit of 190 runs after the first innings, England staged a remarkable comeback to clinch the win and secure a 1-0 lead in the series.

People Raised Their Eyebrows – Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum highlighted the discussions surrounding Tom Hartley’s selection for the national team, emphasizing their bold decision-making process based on a player’s skillsets and character.

“When we picked Tom, people raised their eyebrows but let’s not forget Nathan Lyon only played a handful of first-class cricket averaging 40 odd when he first got picked for the Test team for Australia,” McCullum further stated.

“When you see guys who are good enough and the conditions will suit them it is like horses for courses. You got to back your judgment on things like that. If you like the skillsets and the character you need to be brave with the selection call as well.”

Tom Hartley also impressed with the bat, scoring 23 and 34 in the two innings of the recent Test match. The youngster hopes to continue his form in the second Test, which will be held in Visakhapatnam, starting on Friday, February 2.

Also read: Nasser Hussain hails Tom Hartley for proving doubters wrong with spectacular bowling in 1st Test