"Crawley is like a grade-two listed building" - Former captain backs struggling opener for ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Former England captain Michael Vaughan threw his weight behind Zak Crawley amid the opener's struggles in the Test series against India. Vaughan stated that Crawley must work on his mindset, likening him to a Grade II listed building.

Since his 65-run knock in the fourth innings of the opening Test at Headingley, the youngster has managed scores of 19, 0, 18, and 22 in the following four innings. The second innings at Lord's saw Crawley play a loose drive off Nitish Kumar Reddy after a long grind.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, the cricketer-turned-commentator stated:

"Crawley is like a grade-two listed building – you cannot pull him down. Nothing I hear suggests England will consider dropping him. But you can gently renovate grade-two listed buildings, and England need to do that. He needs to work on his mindset. He bravely saw off Bumrah in this game, then disrespected Nitish Kumar Reddy, thinking he could hit every ball for four."

Vaughan also reminded England's batters that it was the bowling unit that won them the Test.

"I hope the batsmen are buying the bowlers a few drinks, because, Root aside, this was a careless showing with the bat, especially on the third day. Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope put in performances we have come to expect, and England should not be losing four wickets to Washington Sundar when the ball is hardly turning."

Although the hosts failed to eke out a first-innings lead, they managed to set a target that proved just beyond India's reach. Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were the chief destroyers, taking three scalps each.

"He bowls balls people cannot play" - Michael Vaughan on Jofra Archer

Michael Vaughan. (Image Credits: Getty)

Vaughan also opined that Jofra Archer's pace has added an absolute menace in England's bowling unit and was in awe of how he castled Rishabh Pant on day five.

"The return of Jofra Archer is the icing on the cake for England, someone who can bowl with genuinely nasty pace. He bowls balls people cannot play. Look at the one to Rishabh Pant on the final morning, that set England on the way to victory. You could say Pant should have got forward, but that is the value of real pace and menace."

With Brydon Carse taking wickets of Karun Nair and Shubman Gill on day four, Vaughan claimed that the 29-year-old has the heart of a lion due to wanting to be in the thick of things.

"Carse has the heart of a lion. We talk a lot about skill levels with bowlers, and perhaps not enough about courage and inner strength. Carse just wants to be in the battle, at the heart of the action. You are born with that, and as a captain, you cannot put a price on that sort of spirit. Stokes has it, and so does Carse."

England, holding a 2-1 series lead, will head to Manchester to face India in the fourth Test, beginning on July 23.