England will struggle to beat India in the upcoming Test series unless their batsmen significantly improve themselves, said former captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan said that a combination of poor tactics and their rotation policy has led England’s Test squad astray after a good run of results
They beat Sri Lanka 2-0, beat Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa last year. They went to India, won the first Test brilliantly, Joe Root got a double century. Three days later, they started rotating and from there on I don’t think they have been able to grab the team. Tactically, they got it completely wrong. You go back to that day-night Test in India, it was played on a beach and England went in with four seamers and one spinner,” said Vaughan on the Road to the Ashes podcast.
Vaughan pointed out England did not play a spinner in their recent series against New Zealand despite the dry conditions in both Test matches. While the first Test at Lord’s was drawn, New Zealand won the second match at Edgbaston, thus taking the series 1-0.
“You, know this series against New Zealand, it was dry for a week leading into that first Test at Lords (and England) played no spinner. Exactly the same at Edgbaston, didn’t play a spinner. And the batting line-up is fragile, it’s simple as that,” Vaughan said.
England were without Test stars like Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler in the series against New Zealand. While they will return for the series against India, Vaughan said that there have been changes in the batting line-up for England to get big scores.
“Buttler, Stokes and Woakes have come back. Yes, they’ll improve the team, but unless that batting line-up changes and learn and understand how to get big scores against good bowling, and not against second-string Test match standard bowling, I just can’t see how they can compete. It’s going to be tough for England to beat India on these shores. But then to go to Australia and they have to get 450-500, I just can’t see that happening unless they make one or two changes,” Vaughan added.
The five-match Test series starts on August 4 with the first Test to be held at Trent Bridge.
