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The Independent
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Michael Vaughan ‘staggered' by England's decision to bowl first against India
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was 'staggered' by Ben Stokes ' decision to put India in on day one of the Rothesay Test series at Headingley. The tourists enjoyed a dream start to this summer's five-match main event, taking control with a commanding total of 359 for three as Yashavi Jaiswal (101) and new captain Shubman Gill (127no) made themselves at home in Yorkshire. England's batters would have been forgiven for wishing it was them piling up the runs on a friendly surface, rather than chasing the ball around in 28 degree heat, and would have had the chance had Gill called correctly. Like Stokes he planned to bowl first, following a trend that has seen six successive victories at this ground by the team who took the the field. But Vaughan, who grew up playing his cricket here for Yorkshire, was still surprised to see his successor gamble against long-term convention. 'I'm an old school traditionalist here at Leeds: when the sun is shining, with dry weather, you bat,' he said. 'I was staggered when he said he was going to bowl. Traditions are out the window. You look at the England side and their strength is in the batting. There is inexperience in the bowling at the moment, but Ben clearly had a gut feeling, and sometimes that has worked.' Vaughan also cautioned against marking the game down as a guaranteed run-fest, pointing to the presence of the inimitable Jasprit Bumrah in the away dressing room. Backed by a big chunk of scoreboard pressure, the paceman is likely to pose a serious threat regardless of conditions. 'We won't know for sure until we see Jasprit Bumrah bowl on it,' said Vaughan. 'He can bowl you out with anything. Until I see that, I will hold my judgment on how flat this pitch is.' With England wearied by their work, they sent out short-term bowling consultant Tim Southee to make their case. The recently retired New Zealander, who has taken over the mentoring role following James Anderson's return to county cricket, said: 'When you win the toss and bowl you expect to make early inroads but the Indian openers negotiated that first hour or so pretty well. 'If there was a little bit of moisture left in it, it was probably going to be this morning. You look at the surface and make the decision based on what you think will give you the best chance. Not all the the time do you get it right. But credit to the Indian batsmen, in particular Jaiswal and Gill, they played a couple of great hands.' Jaiswal, who continued his dominant form against an England side he took for 712 runs in the previous series on Indian soil, was jubilant. 'It was very special, it meant a lot to me,' he said. 'I just wanted to get in and do something for my team, for my country and for myself after the work I have put it. I loved it.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vaughan 'staggered' by England decision to bowl
Former captain Michael Vaughan said he was "staggered" by England's decision to field first after India piled on 359-3 on day one of the first Test at Headingley. Despite hot temperatures and a pitch offering no obvious assistance to the bowlers, England captain Ben Stokes chose to bowl on winning the toss. Advertisement Stokes' choice gave the opportunity for opposite number Shubman Gill to stroke an unbeaten 127, while opener Yashasvi Jaiswal cracked 101. In Stokes' defence, Gill also admitted he would have bowled first. But Vaughan, who played all of his domestic cricket for Yorkshire, told Test Match Special: "I am an old school traditionalist. Here at Leeds, when the sun is shining, with dry weather, you bat." England have made a habit of fielding first since Stokes became captain in 2022. In nine previous home Tests in which England have won the toss in that period, they have batted first only once. From those nine matches, they have won six and probably would have had a seventh had it not been for rain in Manchester during the fourth Ashes Test of 2023. Advertisement Recent history also favours fielding first at Headingley. The previous six Tests on this ground were won by the team that fielded first. There can be justification for fielding first in good batting conditions. In order to win a Test a team needs to bowl the opposition out twice, and therefore gives themselves the maximum amount of time to do that by fielding first. Some pitches also get better for batting as a Test progresses, making a run chase in the fourth innings the best time to score runs. Vaughan, who famously captained England to victory in the 2005 Ashes, believes Stokes should have given more credence to conditions on Friday morning when he made his decision. Advertisement "You always have to pick your decisions on that moment, and not things that you did here years ago or at other times. It can't affect what the decision is today," he said. "You look at the England side and their strength is in the batting. And there is inexperience in the bowling at the moment. Ben clearly had a gut feeling, and sometimes it has worked." England fast bowling consultant Tim Southee explained the decision was partly affected by the green colour of the pitch on Thursday. "With the colour of the wicket yesterday, and a little bit of moisture left in it if there was a little bit of help in it, it was probably going to be this morning," said the New Zealander. "That was the thinking behind the decision. Advertisement "You look at the surface and make the decision on what you think will give you the best chance. Not all the time do you get it right." There are infamous examples of England captains choosing to field first, only for the decision to backfire. Nasser Hussain did so in the first Ashes Test against Australia in Brisbane in 2002 and England never recovered. David Gower inserted the Australians on this ground in 1989, only for the tourists to rack up 601-7 declared. In contrast, Stokes himself asked New Zealand to bat first at Trent Bridge in 2022. The Black Caps piled on 553, but England completed a fourth-innings run chase courtesy of Jonny Bairstow, the first example of 'Bazball'. Advertisement Therefore, the wisdom of Stokes' decision in this Test will be revealed over the following four days and will be heavily influenced by how England play India pace-bowling maestro Jasprit Bumrah. "It was a good pitch, so it's not easy to restrict runs," said Vaughan. "Ben Stokes is still positive and he will come back tomorrow saying let's get seven wickets. "We won't know that for sure until we see Jasprit Bumrah bowl on it. He can bowl you out with anything. Until I see that, I will hold my judgement on how flat this pitch is."
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Vaughan 'staggered' by England decision to bowl
Former captain Michael Vaughan said he was "staggered" by England's decision to field first after India piled on 359-3 on day one of the first Test at hot temperatures and a pitch offering no obvious assistance to the bowlers, England captain Ben Stokes chose to bowl on winning the choice gave the opportunity for opposite number Shubman Gill to stroke an unbeaten 127, while opener Yashasvi Jaiswal cracked 101. In Stokes' defence, Gill also admitted he would have bowled Vaughan, who played all of his domestic cricket for Yorkshire, told Test Match Special: "I am an old school traditionalist. Here at Leeds, when the sun is shining, with dry weather, you bat."England have made a habit of fielding first since Stokes became captain in nine previous home Tests in which England have won the toss in that period, they have batted first only once. From those nine matches, they have won six and probably would have had a seventh had it not been for rain in Manchester during the fourth Ashes Test of history also favours fielding first at Headingley. The previous six Tests on this ground were won by the team that fielded can be justification for fielding first in good batting conditions. In order to win a Test a team needs to bowl the opposition out twice, and therefore gives themselves the maximum amount of time to do that by fielding pitches also get better for batting as a Test progresses, making a run chase in the fourth innings the best time to score runs. Vaughan, who famously captained England to victory in the 2005 Ashes, believes Stokes should have given more credence to conditions on Friday morning when he made his decision."You always have to pick your decisions on that moment, and not things that you did here years ago or at other times. It can't affect what the decision is today," he said."You look at the England side and their strength is in the batting. And there is inexperience in the bowling at the moment. Ben clearly had a gut feeling, and sometimes it has worked."England fast bowling consultant Tim Southee explained the decision was partly affected by the green colour of the pitch on Thursday."With the colour of the wicket yesterday, and a little bit of moisture left in it if there was a little bit of help in it, it was probably going to be this morning," said the New Zealander. "That was the thinking behind the decision."You look at the surface and make the decision on what you think will give you the best chance. Not all the time do you get it right."There are infamous examples of England captains choosing to field first, only for the decision to Hussain did so in the first Ashes Test against Australia in Brisbane in 2002 and England never recovered. David Gower inserted the Australians on this ground in 1989, only for the tourists to rack up 601-7 contrast, Stokes himself asked New Zealand to bat first at Trent Bridge in 2022. The Black Caps piled on 553, but England completed a fourth-innings run chase courtesy of Jonny Bairstow, the first example of 'Bazball'.Therefore, the wisdom of Stokes' decision in this Test will be revealed over the following four days and will be heavily influenced by how England play India pace-bowling maestro Jasprit Bumrah."It was a good pitch, so it's not easy to restrict runs," said Vaughan. "Ben Stokes is still positive and he will come back tomorrow saying let's get seven wickets."We won't know that for sure until we see Jasprit Bumrah bowl on it. He can bowl you out with anything. Until I see that, I will hold my judgement on how flat this pitch is."
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Test Match Special England v India: Gill & Jaiswal punish Stokes' toss decision
Jonathan Agnew presents reaction from Headingley where India start well against England despite being put in to bat by Ben Stokes. Hear analysis from former England captain Michael Vaughan, Ashes winner Steven Finn, former India opener Cheteshwar Pujara, and commentator Prakash Wakankar. Plus, India's century-hitter Yashasvi Jaiswal & England bowling consultant Tim Southee give their thoughts on the first day's play. Also, former England captain and current Yorkshire President Dr Jane Powell talks about her time as President of Yorkshire and memories of her tour of India in 1981.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Michael Vaughan ‘staggered' to see England bowl first at Headingley
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was 'staggered' by Ben Stokes' decision to put India in on day one of the Rothesay Test series at Headingley. The tourists enjoyed a dream start to this summer's five-match main event, taking control with a commanding total of 359 for three as Yashavi Jaiswal (101) and new captain Shubman Gill (127no) made themselves at home in Yorkshire. England's batters would have been forgiven for wishing it was them piling up the runs on a friendly surface, rather than chasing the ball around in 28 degree heat, and would have had the chance had Gill called correctly. Like Stokes he planned to bowl first, following a trend that has seen six successive victories at this ground by the team who took the the field. But Vaughan, who grew up playing his cricket here for Yorkshire, was still surprised to see his successor gamble against long-term convention. 'I'm an old school traditionalist here at Leeds: when the sun is shining, with dry weather, you bat,' he said. 'I was staggered when he said he was going to bowl. Traditions are out the window. You look at the England side and their strength is in the batting. There is inexperience in the bowling at the moment, but Ben clearly had a gut feeling, and sometimes that has worked.' Vaughan also cautioned against marking the game down as a guaranteed run-fest, pointing to the presence of the inimitable Jasprit Bumrah in the away dressing room. Backed by a big chunk of scoreboard pressure, the paceman is likely to pose a serious threat regardless of conditions. 'We won't know for sure until we see Jasprit Bumrah bowl on it,' said Vaughan. 'He can bowl you out with anything. Until I see that, I will hold my judgment on how flat this pitch is.' With England wearied by their work, they sent out short-term bowling consultant Tim Southee to make their case. The recently retired New Zealander, who has taken over the mentoring role following James Anderson's return to county cricket, said: 'When you win the toss and bowl you expect to make early inroads but the Indian openers negotiated that first hour or so pretty well. 'If there was a little bit of moisture left in it, it was probably going to be this morning. You look at the surface and make the decision based on what you think will give you the best chance. Not all the the time do you get it right. But credit to the Indian batsmen, in particular Jaiswal and Gill, they played a couple of great hands.' Jaiswal, who continued his dominant form against an England side he took for 712 runs in the previous series on Indian soil, was jubilant. 'It was very special, it meant a lot to me,' he said. 'I just wanted to get in and do something for my team, for my country and for myself after the work I have put it. I loved it.'
