Published: Aug 13, 2018, 09:28 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 13, 2018, 09:28 AM (IST)
India left for England shores with high expectations. On the back of their recent performances and their top-ranked status in Test cricket, they were confident of giving England a tough fight. At Edgbaston, they came close. At Lord’s old wounds were thrown open in an abject humiliation inside three days (first day of the Test was a complete washout).
READ: Technically challenged India were never in the game
The defeat hurts. Questions are being asked and rightly so. Why cannot Indian batsmen survive seam and swing-friendly conditions?
Former India cricketer Farokh Engineer has questioned the preparations of Indian team, saying he fails to understand what batting coaches are doing with the batsmen who managed a grand total of 237 across the two innings at Lord’s.
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“It’s a basic, you don’t play across the line against the swinging ball,” Engineer was quoted as saying by the Times of India. “I don’t know what the batting coaches are doing.”
Nothing went India’s way across the three days when weather permitted play. India lost a crucial toss and were sent in by England captain Joe Root to bat under dark clouds. James Anderson and company began their magic and soon, India were sent packing. Their innings lasted 212 deliveries off which they could scrap 107 runs.
Then on Day 3, bright sunshine welcomed the two teams and England made best use of the conditions with Chris Waokes hitting a maiden century – 137. India fell short of ther allrounders’ individual’s tally to be skittled for 130 in their second essay.
This brought back memories of India’s 1974 tour of England when at Lord’s they were all out on 42 in second innings – their lowest total in Test cricket. However, India did score 302 in their first dig and Engineer feels that the latest Lord’s disaster is much worse than what his team went through 44 years back. Engineer was India’s top-scorer in the first innings, scoring 86.
“Yes, we were all out for 42, but this performance has been much worse. “We at least put up a fight in the first innings of that Test and I was the top-scorer,” he said. “There were some great bowlers in operation then and we didn’t have so much protection as these guys have. Personally, I love these boys, but their technique leaves a lot to be desired.”
