Cricket
Former England cricketer David Lloyd criticised England side after their loss by 151 runs to India in the second Test match at Lord's.
Updated : Aug 20, 2021, 12:11 PM IST
English media and former cricketers are brutal when it comes to criticism of their cricket team when they don't perform up to the mark and this time it was no different as Joe Root-led side has bore the brunt of it after the loss to Team India in the second Test by 151 runs at Lord's.
Former England cricketer and now a commentator and expert, David Lloyd has spoken about England's performance saying that Indian skipper Virat Kohli really got under their skin. "They were spooked by India in this Test and Virat Kohli was all over them like a cheap suit. They couldn't cope. So now they have to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in,” Lloyd said speaking to the Daily Mail.
Team India needed to do something special on the final day to save the Test match and then even force a win. They didn't have a great start losing Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma early in the day but a massive 89*-run stand between Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, with the former notching up his second half-century in Test matches gave India the upper hand in the game and a 271-run lead.
With 60 overs remaining in the day, the pace quartet of the visitors Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami were right on the money from the outset bowling out the hosts for just 120 runs in the fourth innings to win the Lord's Test and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
“Think back to 2005 and that wonderful Australian team. Michael Vaughan and Duncan Fletcher told England to get stuck into them and it worked. They didn't take a backward step and that's what I'd expect now. We were wimps at Lord's!” he said.
After the loss, England have taken stern steps leaving the out-of-form opener Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley out and have brought back Dawid Malan into the Test side after a gap of three years. Malan is expected to play at No 3, with Haseeb Hameed going to his favoured opening slot.
The third Test between England and India begins on Wednesday, August 25 at Headingley, Leeds.