Former England Captain Michael Vaughan Urges Ben Stokes and Team to Wake Up After Heavy Defeat to India
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has called the heavy 434-run defeat to India in the third Test at Rajkot a wake-up call for Ben Stokes and his players. The defeat has put England 2-1 behind in the five-match series against India. Vaughan expressed his concern in his column for The Telegraph, criticizing the team’s performance and urging them to learn from India’s batters and improve their overall batting returns ahead of the fourth Test starting at Ranchi on February 23.
Vaughan was surprised by the way England batted, especially Joe Root’s shot in the match, and was taken aback by opener Ben Duckett’s comments on how England should be given the credit for Yashasvi Jaiswal’s explosive batting style. He also urged England to come out of their bubble of playing aggressively in Test cricket and focus on improving their overall performance.
The former captain pointed out that England’s batting has been poor on this tour and emphasized the need for the team to have conversations about how to bat better. He also warned that unless England changes their approach, India will dominate the rest of the series.
Vaughan’s criticism comes in the backdrop of England’s latest defeat and the team’s precarious position in the ongoing Test series against India. With India leading 2-1, the pressure is on England to bounce back and level the series. The fourth Test in Ranchi will be crucial for the team to prove their mettle and make a comeback.
The heavy defeat to India has raised questions about England’s approach to Test cricket and their ability to compete against top teams like India. As the series progresses, all eyes will be on Ben Stokes and his players to see if they can make the necessary adjustments and put up a strong performance in the remaining matches.
In conclusion, Vaughan’s comments shed light on the challenges that lie ahead for England as they face the daunting task of overcoming India in the Test series. The team will need to address their shortcomings and make significant improvements to stand a chance against the formidable Indian side.
The fourth Test match in Ranchi will be a crucial opportunity for England to prove their critics wrong and make a strong statement with their performance on the field.
The entire cricketing world will be watching closely to see if they can rise to the occasion and turn their fortunes around in the series against India.
–IANS
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