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The recent string of losses for England in the ongoing five-match Test series against India has not only disappointed but also irked former cricketers.
England’s ongoing struggles in the Test series against India
Although the visitors kicked off the series with a notable 28 runs victory, they struggled to maintain the winning momentum. India staged a strong comeback in Visakhapatnam, registering a convincing 106 runs win, and then delivered their most resounding performance against the Ben Stokes-led side with a colossal 434 runs victory in Rajkot.
Alastair Cook’s strategic changes proposal for the Ranchi Test
With England facing a challenging situation, a resilient comeback is on their agenda as they aim to level the series and keep their hopes alive by winning the fourth Test that is scheduled to take place in Ranchi’s JSCA International Stadium Complex on Friday. In the midst of this, former captain Alastair Cook has proposed three crucial changes to England’s playing XI for the upcoming fourth Test in Ranchi.
Cook advocates for a fresh face
Cook emphasized the need for a strategic change by urging England to drop wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow in the next fixture, aiming to ‘protect the player’ amidst his challenging run in the series. Bairstow, playing as a specialist batter, has faced a difficult time, averaging 17.00 with 104 runs in total so far in six innings. In discussions with TNT Sport, Cook suggested introducing a ‘fresh face’ like Dan Lawrence as a potential replacement for the struggling Bairstow.
“I’m taking him [Bairstow] out of the firing line to protect the player, as I think he’s had a tough tour so far and India is a tough place to keep going on the treadmill. I’m not saying he’ll never play Test cricket again, but it’s good to have someone who’s fresh of all the debris of this series so far. When you’re not scoring runs, there’s a build-up of pressure and momentum from certain bowlers on you, so I’d let Dan Lawrence have a go,” Cook said.
Also READ: “Very dark and crumbly”: England skipper Ben Stokes’ eyebrow raising take on the Ranchi pitch – IND vs ENG
Managing workload
In terms of bowling changes, Cook advocated for a shift in the lineup, proposing the inclusion of Ollie Robinson and the uncapped Gus Atkinson for the upcoming 4th Test in Ranchi. He emphasized the importance of resting both James Anderson and Mark Wood to ensure their freshness for the fifth and final Test in Dharamshala, where conditions generally favour fast bowlers. Cook aimed for a strategic rotation to optimize the performance of the pace bowlers in the challenging series against India.
“I think James Anderson and Mark Wood will be very effective in the cooler conditions of Dharamsala, so I’m taking them out of the attack as they’ve bowled a lot of overs in a short period,” the 39-year-old added.
“The two people I’m bringing in are Ollie Robinson and Gus Atkinson – we haven’t seen Gus in a Test match before, but everyone I’ve spoken to about him thinks he could do well. We’ve seen a lot of Ollie Robinson, who has great skill and great control. He’ll give the control that Anderson gives, whereas Atkinson gives that freshness. Both will be raring to go,” Cook concluded.
