"They got a bit too aggressive on a flat wicket"- Former pacer slams Indian bowlers for poor performance on Day 3 of ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former India pacer Varun Aaron criticized the Indian pacers for their performance on Day 3 of the second Test match at Edgbaston on Friday, July 4. Aaron felt that India allowed the pair of Harry Brook and Jamie Smith to counter-attack after removing Ben Stokes early in the first session on the third day.

The 35-year-old felt that after dismissing the England captain, the bowlers were over-aggressive on a placid surface with very little help.

“I think India allowed this counterpunch by the English batsmen. If you see what worked really well for India last evening and even this morning, it was bowling at the right length. But the moment India got Stokes' wicket, they got a bit too aggressive on a flat wicket," Aaron said on JioHotstar (via Hindustan Times).

Aaron was critical of India's short ball approach on Day 3. He said that on a surface like the one at Edgbaston, putting consistent pressure on the opposition batters was a better approach.

"Too many bouncers, too many short balls. On a slow pitch, when none of your bowlers are consistently pushing the 145 kph mark, you cannot afford to bowl that many short deliveries. Indian bowlers have the skill to keep it on that ideal length - keep hitting the stumps. Sustained pressure is what gets you wickets. You can't expect things to happen immediately all the time," the former pacer said.

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Harry Brook, Jamie Smith pile on the runs to put India on the backfoot on Day 3

India removed Joe Root and Ben Stokes in the second over of the day, raising hopes of taking a big lead in the first innings. However, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith had other ideas as they made the most of a flat surface at Edgbaston to make the visitors chase leather.

The pair had put on 165 runs for the sixth wicket at lunch on the third day. They motored on in the post-lunch session to put Shubman Gill and his men under enormous pressure. At the time of writing, England were 338/5 in 72 overs as they looked to get near the visitors' first innings' score of 587.