After two Tests in this series, it is an open question as to who is more spooked - IND by the threat of Bazball, or ENG by the threat of spinning pitches. When ENG played at Vizag in 2016, James Anderson and Stuart Broad collected 9/177 between them. ENG have brought Ollie Robinson, a class bowler, on this tour. And yet, Brendom McCullum was speaking about playing 4 spinners. The Vizag pitch didn’t deteriorate over 4 days and 4 innings. ENG’s spinners have spun the ball less and gotten less drift in general than IND’s spinners in this series. The decision to offer Bashir a debut despite the availability of Joe Root (who, on the evidence of these two Tests is at least as good a spinner as Bashir, though not as tall) ahead of Robinson is one which will be debated fiercely in England given the amount of seam movement James Anderson produced on the first three mornings of the match. Or at least it would be if they weren’t so enthralled by Bazball.
“Or at least it would be if they weren’t so enthralled by Bazball.”
Such a great line. It seems like anything major that happens, particularly achievements by the opposition, are cast aside in favour of what is possible for England.
“Or at least it would be if they weren’t so enthralled by Bazball.”
Such a great line. It seems like anything major that happens, particularly achievements by the opposition, are cast aside in favour of what is possible for England.