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With Moeen Ali getting plenty of purchase from the Lord’s strip on Day 4, England commentator David Lloyd stated that the final day would reveal if India will regret leaving out Ravichandran Ashwin.
India dropped Ashwin from the playing XI for the second Test in a row, preferring left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as the sole spinner. However, with England off-spinner Moeen Ali making a huge impression on a turning surface on Sunday at Lord’s, critics and former cricketers including Lloyd have questioned India’s move.
Writing in his column for The Daily Mail, Lloyd posed the Ashwin query ahead of Day 5 at Lord’s. He pointed out:
“Mid-afternoon on Day Four and Moeen Ali just started to get the ball to turn. He took two huge wickets, the second with a jaffa to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja. It's what you'd expect from a Test pitch but neither captain thought there would be spin here pre-match. So will India regret leaving out Ravichandran Ashwin? Monday will tell.”
Lloyd also said that England captain Joe Root’s hard work is bearing fruit and advised the batter to enjoy the success. He wrote about the in-form cricketer:
“Joe Root is in the form of his life and it's no accident. When you listen to his interviews, a few things that he's doing stand out — hard work, small technical changes and attention to detail. But most of all, enjoy it! Joe told us this is the first time his two young children have been able to watch him play and that adds to his sense of enjoyment and fulfilment.”
Root scored a terrific 180 not out in the first innings at Lord’s. Before that, he notched up scores of 64 and 109 in the first Test.
David Lloyd questions needless breaks at Lord’s
David Lloyd was irritated with the constant breaks and pauses during Day 4 of the Lord’s Test. Describing it as frustrating for the viewers, the former England cricketer wrote in his column:
“I know I'm like a dog with a bone on this, but 10 minutes before drinks on Saturday a sub came on with drinks for India and two men emerged with towels and drinks for the England batsmen. It's ridiculous. If the batsman isn't ready when the bowler is at the top of his mark then he should just bowl.”
India head into the deciding day at Lord’s with a lead of 154 but only four lower-order wickets in hand. Rishabh Pant (14 not out) could hold the key to India’s fortunes.
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