Top Order: Team India lost by 5 wickets in the Leeds Test match.
Top Order: England defeated India by 5 wickets in the first Test played in Leeds and took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. India’s poor fielding, in which more than five catches were missed, and the failure of the lower order batting were the main reasons for this defeat. The top order batsmen performed brilliantly, but England benefited from the continuous fall of wickets in the lower order. The Ben Stokes-led team achieved the target of 371 runs. Former cricketers have analyzed the reasons for the defeat and suggested changes in the playing XI.
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Aakash Chopra’s advice: Top order should learn bowling
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel, “Our lower order does not know batting, and the top order does not know bowling. The top order should learn a bit of bowling. I am not saying that they have to bowl 15 overs or become all-rounders like Jacques Kallis, Wiaan Mulder. But a bit of bowling will give the team balance, options and flexibility. At the moment this is not happening, because our batsmen do not bowl.”
Ashwin’s emphasis on Shardul
Ravichandran Ashwin expressed displeasure over the limited use of Shardul Thakur on his YouTube channel. He said, “Shardul was selected in the team, but he was not given the ball for the first 40 overs, while Joe Root was at the crease. Shardul has a good record against Root. If his role is not reduced, I rate him highly as a cricketer.” Ashwin suggested that Shardul’s timely use could have benefited India.
