England had a difficult day two against India as their spin bowlers continued to struggle; Joe Root (2-77) was the most prolific of the four bowling spin;follow text commentary of day three from 3.45am on Friday (4am first ball)
Friday 26 January 2024 16:34, UK
Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain believes England would have more control against India if they would have picked stalwart James Anderson as a bowling option.
India assumed complete control of the first Test against England on day two as KL Rahul (86) and Ravindra Jadeja (81no) helped the hosts into a huge lead of 175 in Hyderabad.
India had reached 421-7 by stumps in reply to England's 246 all out.
Each of India's top five batters were the architects of their own downfall, their dismissals coming from eyeing up boundaries rather than through magic deliveries as England's spinners struggled to offer the same threat and control as Indian trio Jadeja (3-88), Axar Patel (2-33) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3-68) on day one.
Jack Leach (1-54) only bowled 16 overs on day two as he battles a "pretty serious" knee issue, while debutant Tom Hartley's figures read 2-131 from 25 overs and Rehan Ahmed, playing just his second Test, went for 105 runs from his 23, with off-spinner Joe Root (2-77) the pick of England's slow bowlers.
"I said before the game, I would have played Anderson. I was a bit surprised at the balance of the side because with Root in India it is four spinners and one seamer," Hussain said.
"Anderson gives you control. It doesn't even have to be him, it can be (Ollie) Robinson, just another seamer.
"Anderson's skills in the sub-continent has been exceptional in the last few years. Anderson is a quite a good player when he is in the side. He is England's greatest ever bowler.
"I understood why they have done it. You've got Jack Leach who hasn't bowled since May or June because of his stress fractures and then you have a debutant and someone playing in their second Test match.
"They may have been concerned about how much you can bowl Leach in that game. So, if you just go for the second spinner and they don't get it right, you are left in a tricky position."
England's off-spinner Joe Root struck early when he caught and bowled India's set batter Yashasvi Jaiswal (80) with the fourth ball of the day, which left spectators wondering why he wasn't introduced into the attack earlier.
“I thought yesterday with Jaiswal going well, the match up was better. Root, an off-spinner, turning it away from the left-hander who was trying to dominate. I would’ve gone to Root earlier," Hussain said.
"The problem for Stokes is that he is a great backer of his team-mates. He gave that quote about looking for the quiet player in the corner in the dressing room and in this Test match that quiet player is Tom Hartley."
Hartley's first ball in Test cricket was clubbed for six by Jaiswal as the 24-year-old struggled to take a wicket on his debut.
"Anyone who knows Stokes knows when a young player hasn’t started well he is going to back him, but I thought at some point yesterday he had to look at the bigger picture when the game was getting away.
“You’re always learning as a captain but you can never be too critical of a captain trying to back a player on debut."
England's bowlers struggled against India who built a substantial lead with wickets falling few and far between, and mainly due to batters' errors rather than the bowler's skill.
“I don’t think England bowled well. It’s a stark difference between what we saw today. You can cut Rehan some slack because he is a wrist spinner and he will have variations but Hartley will wish he gave Stokes some control," Hussain added.
“England were probably concerned about what happened to Moeen Ali in the summer and that's why they wanted an extra spinner. Physically, after a stress fracture you have to look after someone coming back into the team."
England's spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel confirmed established spinner Leach has been struggling with a knee issue. He has bowled 25 overs and taken one wicket so far, removing India's captain Rohit Sharma (25) on day one.
Hussain added: “They never got control, even the last three balls of the day that went for four, six, four. There was no control.
“I think everyone can learn from the first innings dismissals. India might learn that England got off to a flyer with the seamers and may start with Ashwin. It will be more challenging the second day round.”
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