For all the buzz about Bazball, the England Cricket Team ended up with a no-show in the 2nd innings of IND vs ENG Rajkot Test. That Ben Duckett ton aside, England lost 18 wickets for just 212 runs in two innings combined. After losing 8 wickets for 90, England surrendered in the 2nd innings, folding for just 122 runs as India thrashed Bazballers by a record 434 runs. Former England captain Michael Vaughan called the loss a “wake-up call” and claimed that Ben Stokes & Co gifted India the match.
“The way they played this week has gifted India a victory. I couldn’t believe my eyes the way they batted on day three, especially Joe Root’s shot,” Michael Vaughan wrote in a column in The Telegraph.
Buzz about Bazball fading?
When England preparing the itinerary for India tour, there were a lot of unorthodox things. For starters, England opted to train in Abu Dhabi instead of practising on Indian pitches. And then when they could have hit the nets to rectify the errors after Vizag’s defeat, they opted to spend Valentine’s week with their families in Abu Dhabi again.
But there was still a belief that Ben Stokes & Co could still triumph against a depleted India. There was no Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. India had to hand debuts to two youngsters together while the other one was just a Test old. To make things worse for India, their star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had to leave after bowling only 7 overs due to a family emergency.
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England were at 207/2 after 35 overs. However, the visitors found a way to hand India a 126-run lead. After Ben Duckett’s 153, England lost eight wickets for 90 runs. From 224/2, England were bowled out for 319 with no Ashwin around in the 1st innings of IND vs ENG Rajkot Test.
Michael Vaughan criticised the way Joe Root gifted his wicket and perhaps India the Test. He also slammed England’s way of doing things their own way.
“This England team are hell-bent on doing things their way, and ‘saving Test cricket’. They are giving Test cricket a shot in the arm because they are so exciting. But ultimately they have to be better than that now. They didn’t win in New Zealand, they didn’t win the Ashes, and if they carry on like this, they are going to lose in India. As a team, you are judged on series victories,” Michael Vaughan wrote.
