Joe Root-led England had a tough time facing India pacers in the first two Tests of the ongoing 5-match series. After a draw in Nottingham, the hosts lost the 2nd game at Lord’s by 151 runs due to a below-par batting display. Besides skipper Root, no other English batter could prove his mettle while facing a potent Indian attack.
Trailing 0-1 in the series, England have made some major changes to the squad for the third Test, which begins on Wednesday at Leeds, Headingley. Dawid Malan has been recalled after three years while the likes of Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley have lost their spots.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra feels that this English side lacks quality in its batting department. In his latest YouTube video, he was of the opinion that batsmen apart from Joe Root are just making up the numbers.
“There are so many options but this English team is more about quantity, not about quality. The quality is there in just one player, among the batsmen, and he is Joe Root. The rest of them in Test-match cricket, they are just adding up the numbers at this point in time against India’s fantastic bowling attack,” Chopra said.
“This is the reality, hate it or like it. The job this bowling attack has done, the opposition team has fallen slightly on their knees in the batting department definitely,” he added.
The cricketer-turned-commentator further pointed out that Sibley’s poor run forced the hosts to bring in Malan. Chopra said England may go with a pace heavy attack in Headingley.
“Sibley and Crawley, both have been dropped. Dawid Malan and Saqib Mahmood have been called back into the team. Saqib did really well against Pakistan. He was a part of the squad for the second match, he was then released but now because of Wood’s injury, he has been called. There is a possibility, the match is in Headingley, you might want to just spruce up your fast-bowling reserves,” Chopra said.
“Malan, yes he is a T20 champion. Malan’s story is that Dom Sibley has been struggling. It seems Haseeb Hameed will open and in the middle, you can play Malan or Ollie Pope, you can also send Bairstow at No.3,” he added.
