Team India showcased a stellar performance on Day 4 of the fourth Test against England, held at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. With remarkable contributions from seasoned players and promising talents alike, India secured a memorable victory over England.
India’s successful chase
In pursuit of a target of 192 runs, India got off to a strong start with openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal laying a solid foundation with an 84-run partnership. Despite facing some hiccups in the middle overs, Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel steadied the ship, guiding India to a comprehensive victory and sealing the series in their favor.
Geoffrey Boycott’s critique of Ben Stokes’ captaincy
Following England’s defeat, renowned cricketer Geoffrey Boycott weighed in on Ben Stokes‘ captaincy decisions, highlighting a significant error in strategy during the fourth innings. Boycott questioned Stokes’ choice to open the bowling with two spinners, Joe Root and Tom Hartley, terming it a tactical misstep.
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Lack of experience with the new ball
Boycott emphasized the lack of experience of Root and Hartley in bowling with the new ball, particularly in handling the challenges posed by the lacquer that makes it difficult to grip the ball effectively. He noted that contemporary regulations restricting alterations to the ball have added complexity to spinners’ ability to control it, compared to his playing days.
“England only had 192 to defend. I like Stokes’s captaincy but I thought he made a big error by opening the bowling with two spinners, Root and Tom Hartley. The problem is that unless you are experienced at bowling spin with a new ball then the lacquer makes it slip out of the fingers so it is difficult to drop it on a length,” wrote Boycott in his column for The Telegraph.
“When I played, spinners could rub the ball in the dirt to rough it up and grip it better but that is banned now so it is hard for them to control. I think Stokes out-thought himself,” added Boycott.
