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'Bazball or Whatever Ball You Call It...'- Anil Kumble on ENG's Difficulty in Beating IND

image-lt47xk6vAnil Kumble (Twitter)

Former Indian cricketer and renowned coach Anil Kumble has provided insightful commentary on England's challenges in their recent tour of India. 

Speaking on the difficulty England faced in defeating India on their home turf, Kumble highlighted the formidable task England encountered.

“The challenge when England came here was obvious. Bazball or whatever ball you want to call it, playing in India and beating India here was never going to be easy. India have never lost a series at home in the last decade. 

They (England) knew that they had to be different but their bowling attack wasn’t something that they believed would be able to penetrate India’s batting line-up.”

Kumble further dissected England's performance, particularly focusing on their batting lineup. 

“England’s senior batters including Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, and Joe Root, other than the Ranchi Test, didn’t contribute consistently. There were some key moments that they grabbed on a couple of occasions but other key moments, they let go. 

It’s all nice to say that ‘this is the way I bat’, but you can’t bat like that all the time. You have to hold back. In Test match cricket, that’s what it is. It’s about situations and that’s what Root did in this (Ranchi) match. No wonder he was successful, something that England will have to discuss and look at.”

Despite glimpses of brilliance from players like Ben Stokes and Joe Root, Kumble noted the inconsistency that plagued England's efforts.

The fourth Test in Ranchi witnessed India's decisive victory, securing the series win with a game to spare. Kumble commended India's resilience, highlighting the contributions of young talents in the absence of seasoned players. The victory in Ranchi, by five wickets, underscored India's dominance throughout the series.

Anil Kumble's analysis, provided valuable insights into England's strategies and their struggles against India. As the series culminates with India holding an unassailable lead, England would now be seen playing at Dharamsala for the final game of the series.