‘It’s getting beyond a joke’: Boycott slams England’s top 3 batsmen for failing to score against IND on day 5 at Lord’s

Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott feels Joe Root ‘cocked up’ with his tactics in the second Test against India and also allowed emotions to get the better of them.

The second India vs England Test match at Lord’s witnessed a major turn around on Monday. The visitors dominated the entire final day of play, despite beginning it with a few hiccups. As a result, England, who had started day five in a strong position, lost the game by 151 runs to a ‘brilliant’ India.

England batsmen Rory Burns (L), Dom Sibley (centre) and Haseeb Hameed (R) (HT Collage)

The bowlers played a huge part in guiding India to a terrific win at the home of cricket. After creating quite a stir with bats in their hands, the duo of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah dismissed England openers for ducks in the fourth innings. The other two pacers – Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma – bowled full throttle, handing a comprehensive win to the team.

Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott feels Joe Root ‘cocked up’ with his tactics in the second Test against India and also allowed emotions to get the better of them. Words were exchanged regularly between the players but India fed off the intense atmosphere to lift their game while the hosts got side-tracked.

“This Test match has proved two things. Firstly, if you are stupid, you do not deserve to win Test matches. As much as we love Joe Root for his magnificent batting, he cocked up with his tactics.

“Secondly, England cannot keep relying on Joe for all their runs. There has to be an improvement from the top three very soon because it is getting beyond a joke,” Boycott wrote in The Telegraph.

England spread the field out when Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami were batting, and the two pacers ended up sharing a record 89-run stand for India to set England a 272-run target. The hosts were bowled out for 120 with less than 10 overs remaining in the game.

“Joe had been doing well with his field placings and captaincy but seeing Jasprit Bumrah at the crease was like a red rag to a bull. He encouraged Mark Wood to just pepper him with fast short balls. It is obvious the England captain and some of his players wanted payback for the working over Bumrah gave James Anderson in the first innings.

“Tempers were frayed. Heated words were exchanged as England seemed more intent on hitting Bumrah and Mohammad Shami instead of getting them out.

“The tail swiped and edged. The field spread out on both sides of the wickets to stop the run scoring and England suffered the embarrassment of India declaring,” he added.

Boycott also gave India due credit for pulling off a famous win.

“At the start of play, England were favourites and I couldn’t believe England would be so poor but congratulations India. You were absolutely brilliant,” Boycott further wrote.

(With PTI Inputs)