Former England captain Michael Vaughan came down heavily on English cricketers for their 434-run humilation at the hand of India in the third Test of the five-match series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, now known as Niranjan Shah Stadium, in Rajkot on Sunday.
It was England’s second biggest defeat by runs in test cricket after losing by 562 runs against Australia in 1934. It was India’s biggest test win by runs. Its previous best came in a 372-run victory over New Zealand at Mumbai in 2021.
Michael Vaughan, in his column for The Telegraph, bashed the England players for being ‘disrespectful’.
“Listen to them, and you would think nothing is ever wrong. Jimmy Anderson said they would chase 600 in Vizag. Ben Duckett said “the more the better” in terms of their target this week, but they fell 434 short. Duckett also reckons they deserve credit for the way Yashasvi Jaiswal is batting, as if no player in history has ever played an attacking shot,” Vaughan wrote.
“They talk about not playing for the draw, but to me that’s disrespectful to Test cricket. The draw is a crucial part of the game, and in five-Test contest has often provided the bedrock of some great series victories,” he added.
“They have to be careful that people around don’t think they are smug, or above their station. (Joe) Root’s shot was another reminder that they are in a bubble. All that matters is their dressing room, and fun. There is a bit more to Test cricket than that,” he said.
Vaughan said that England need to be result-orianted while praising captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum for for trying to make Test cricket exciting.
“This England team is hell bent on doing things their way, and “saving Test cricket”. They are giving Test cricket a shot in the arm because they are so exciting. But ultimately they have to be better than that now. They didn’t win in New Zealand, they didn’t win the Ashes, and if they carry on like this, they are going to lose in India. As a team, you are judged on series victories,” Vaughan added.
