ENG vs IND, 4th Test: Ricky Ponting Rips Into India's Bowling Tactics, Questions Bumrah's End Choice
Synopsis
Ricky Ponting slams India’s poor bowling tactics on day two of the 4th Test against England, criticising debutant Anshul Kamboj’s new-ball spell and Bumrah’s end choice as England’s openers dominate.
Manchester [UK]: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting offered no clemency while directing India's dreadful execution of plans with the ball on the second day of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Even though the conditions offered less help to India than their counterparts, they were severely hampered after missing the trick with the new ball. The Indian seamers strayed off their lines, leaking runs heavily, allowing England's opening pair, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, to jump all over them and cause a constant headache for captain Shubman Gill.
Ponting Tears Into India’s Bowling Plans on Day Two
Ponting was left unimpressed with India's tactical ploy. In his ruthless verdict, Ponting expressed his discontent with the decision to hand the new ball to debutant Anshul Kamboj ahead of mainstay Mohammed Siraj. While Jasprit Bumrah kept a lid on England's scoring rate, Kamboj was hammered relentlessly.
"They got scored off on both sides of the wicket, didn't they? You know, we broadly talked then about how they bowled to Pope. I think they were tactically off as well. I don't think Kamboj shouldn't have taken the new ball. Yeah, I didn't like that from the start. And he was, I mean, and Duckett's five of his first six boundaries were behind square leg side. So they got it tactically wrong there," Ponting said on Sky Sports.
Ponting didn't spare Bumrah for charging at English batters from the Anderson end, while the other bowlers thrived from the Statham end, which deepens India's tactical off-game.
"I think even watching now, Bumrah, I think, is bowling from the wrong end. All the wickets, most of the wickets, have fallen from the Statham end. And he's done most of his work bowling from the Anderson end. So they've been, they were off execution wise. And I think tactically have been off a little bit as well," he concluded.
England Openers Punish Wayward Indian Attack
After India crawled to 358, Duckett (94) and Crawley (84) raised a 166-run opening stand, before Jadjea delivered the fatal blow. Jadjea lured Crawley to commit to a drive shot away from his body and gave away an outside edge to KL Rahul. Kamboj then robbed Duckett of a century by picking up an edge to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, scalping his maiden Test wicket. England finished the day with 225/2, trailing by 133 runs.