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Cricket News: Thinktank comes under criticism after England’s bowling attack fails to fire in first Test vs India at Hyderabad
England’s hopes of continuing their surge in Test cricket over the past two years has taken an early blow in India. The hosts finished day two way out in front by 175 runs, with Ravindra Jadeja (81*) and Axar Patel (35*) going along smoothly in their unbroken partnership of 63 to lead India to 421/7.
A lot of the attention, even before the Test, was around England’s inexperienced bowling attack. They opted to leave James Anderson out and play two rookie spinners – 24-year-old left-arm spinner Tom Hartley on debut and 19-year-old legspinner Rehan Ahmed lining up in just his second Test. Jack Leach is playing his first Test since returning from a stress fracture in his back and Mark Wood bowled just 13 overs out of the first 110 that were sent down.
India’s lineup was filled with contributions right down the batting order as England’s attack was unable to build meaningful pressure. Hartley’s 25 overs across days one and two yielded no maidens and an economy rate of 5.24. Ahmed also found the going challenging, conceding 105 in his 23 overs.
Leach (1/54 off 26 overs) and Joe Root (2/77 off 24 overs) were comfortably England’s most effective spinners in the first innings. It begs the question as to why the visitors would opt for such an attack lacking first class experience with Anderson available and Root more than capable of delivering quality overs as a third spinner.
Reactions: England’s inexperienced bowling attack finds the going tough
The general consensus among fans online is England made a blunder. There were plenty of calls to not target the inexperienced spinners, but rather focus the attention on the team management for such selections.
Unless something remarkable happens, India will go to Visakhapatnam 1-0 up in the five-match series. The first two days at Hyderabad, as well as what the pitch offers in the second Test, may shape England’s thinking going forward.
However, before then, England will want to put up a good fight with the bat second time around. Any confidence boost in the first Test can work wonders, and that will likely be the focus from the attack-minded Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
