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'England missed a trick by...': Anil Kumble's honest take as Jaiswal spoils Bazball party in Test series opener
Anil Kumble questioned England’s tactics after India dominated the Day 1 proceedings in the 1st Test.
England's famous Bazball approach of playing the longest format received an Indian twist on the opening day of the 1st Test between Ben Stokes' men and Team India in Hyderabad. Spin wizards Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja thwarted England's bid to register a challenging total before opener Yashasvi Jaiswal played a stroke-filled knock to put Team India on top in the Test series opener contested at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
England's Tom Hartley capped off a forgetful debut in India as the left-arm spinner leaked 63 runs in nine overs. Stokes' England side only operated with a solitary fast bowler in the form of Mark Wood against Team India. This was the first time in the history of English cricket that the European giants went into a test with just one fast bowler. Did the misfiring England side miss a trick in the Hyderabad opener?
'England missed a trick by not using Joe Root'
Speaking on Sports 18 after the end of the day's play in the Hyderabad opener, legendary spinner Anil Kumble questioned why England refused to rope in Joe Root as a bowler on Day 1 of the series opener. "I thought England missed a trick by not using Joe Root because he's someone you can really turn the ball, and he has a good action. And there was Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is a left-hander, and we saw Ashwin trouble the left-handers. So England probably missed a trick," Kumble said.
After England folded for 246 in the 1st innings, opener Jaiswal powered India to a 119-1 in just 23 overs. The Indian opener smashed 76 off 70 balls to create history on Day 1 of the 1st Test against England. Jaiswal is the third Indian batter after Gautam Gambhir and KL Rahul to score above 70 on the first day's play after India batted second in a Test. Jaiswal's quick-fire knock made sure India trail England by only 127 runs.
‘If they have to come back…’
Pacer Wood bowled two overs while spinners Hartley, Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed only managed to share a single wicket on the opening day of the 1st Test. “I think it's one, the length. I mean, they are not consistent at all on a surface where it's assisting you a bit. We saw that with the Indian spinners. As soon as they bowled a good length, it was turning, so they got the lengths wrong. And then, when you want to spin, I mean first, is confidence. Hartley is playing his first game, Leach hasn't really played in a while, and then he's coming in. But if they have to come back in this game, the spinners need to be a lot more consistent,” Kumble added.
