Ravi Shastri, the former cricketer, was surprised India didn’t bring in Washington Sundar earlier in England’s innings. He pointed out Sundar’s four wickets at Lord’s and felt India were off in Manchester where a series loss looks likely.
At the end of day three, England were 544/7, their lead now 186. Sundar, once brought into the attack, got Ollie Pope and Harry Brook. Shastri said Gill and his inexperienced leadership on the world stage.
Shastri felt Gill made several tactical errors in the fourth Test and let England get the upper hand. “He took four wickets in the last game. Then you bring that guy after 67, 69 overs. I mean, what does it tell that player? Here I’ve taken four. I should be like a front runner, bowling within the first 30, 35 overs, Shastri said on Sky Sports. “And you’re getting me on after 69. And then he takes the first two wickets. So tactically I thought they were found wanting. I thought Siraj should have taken the new ball yesterday, Shastri added.
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“Instead of giving it to Kamboj who’s new, playing his first Test. That let the pressure off England. Then the bouncer tactic which they’re 24 hours late. That should have been tried yesterday to see if they could have made further inroads, Shastri said.
Root scored a great 150 from 248 balls. Stokes (77 batting off 134) and Pope (71 off 128) also chipped in. Today was a day when the openers went after the Indian bowlers.
With another Test in a week, this has been a long tour. Given the Indian bowlers’ body language today, lasting the whole series will be tough.=
