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Former cricketer and commentator Geoffrey Boycott has slammed England's tactics after India beat them by a hefty margin of 151 runs at Lord's. The 80-year-old Englishman was unimpressed with skipper Joe Root's tactics and the team's overdependence on their captain.
The Three Lions looked to be in a winning position when they picked up the wickets of Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma early on Day 5. Inexplicably, though, Root pushed the fielders back during the partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami.
In his column for The Telegraph, Geoffrey Boycott questioned the captaincy of Joe Root and also England's fragile batting line-up.
"This Test match has proved two things. Firstly, if you are stupid you do not deserve to win Test matches. As much as we love Joe Root for his magnificent batting, he cocked up with his tactics. Secondly, England cannot keep relying on Joe for all their runs. There has to be an improvement from the top three very soon because it is getting beyond a joke," Geoffrey Boycott stated.
England seemed more intent on hitting Bumrah, Shami than getting them out: Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott shed light on England's tactic to unleash a barrage of bouncers at Bumrah. It was clear that they wanted to avenge the suffering that the Indian pacer had inflicted on James Anderson through a similar series of bouncers during England's first innings.
But this is where Boycott feels the hosts went wrong as they seemed to shift their focus from taking the remaining wickets. It cost them dearly, as Bumrah and Shami added a record 89 runs for the ninth wicket.
"Joe had been doing well with his field placings and captaincy but seeing Jasprit Bumrah at the crease was like a red rag to a bull. He encouraged Mark Wood to just pepper him with fast short balls. It is obvious the England captain and some of his players wanted payback for the working over Bumrah gave James Anderson in the first innings. Heated words were exchanged as England seemed more intent on hitting Bumrah and Mohammad Shami instead of getting them out," Geoffrey Boycott said.
The two teams will now lock horns in the third Test, which begins on August 25 at Headingley, Leeds.
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