Former India captain question Ben Stokes captaincy tactics after England’s poor show with ball on Day1

India and England are battling it out in the 1^st test of the five-match series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. After winning the toss, England got the advantage as they opted to bat first on a spin-friendly track in Hyderabad but got all-out on 246 in the first innings.

Trailing by 246 runs, India got off to a flying start courtesy of a solid opening standing of 80 runs at a brisk of more than 6 runs per over. Before the first Test match, there was excitement among fans to see how ‘Bazball’ would fare in Indian conditions in front of veteran Indian spinners.

However, Bazball was nowhere to be seen in England’s 1^st innings but what we witnessed was ‘Jaisball’ where India’s young dynamic opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal took attack onto the England spinners where he took a special liking for Tom Hartley who was playing his first international and hit him for two sixes in his first over only.

England are playing in this match with only one pacer and three spinners, a move which surprised many but Stokes backed the novelty factor of these spinners and expected that they could bamboozle the Indian batters but it wasn’t the case and India was on an aggressive mode and ended the first day at 123 for 1 in reply to England’s 246.

Kumble questions Ben Stokes’ tactics

Anil Kumble, the ex-captain of the Indian cricket team, pointed out that England made an oversight by not entrusting the ball to Joe Root on the first day of the current Test match in Hyderabad. This decision ultimately allowed India to secure a more advantageous position by the close of the day's play.

While speaking to the broadcasters, Anil Kumble said, "I thought England missed a trick by not using Joe Root because he's someone you can really turn the ball, and he has a good action. And there was Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is a left-hander, and we saw Ashwin trouble the left-handers. So England probably missed a trick."

Anil Kumble also focused on the importance of length for spinners on spin-friendly conditions and how England bowlers missed their lengths on Day 1. He said, "I think it's one, the length. I mean, they are not consistent at all on a surface where it's assisting you a bit. We saw that with the Indian spinners. 

As soon as they bowled a good length, it was turning, so they got the lengths wrong. And then, when you want to spin, I mean first, is confidence. Hartley is playing his first game, Leach hasn't really played in a while, and then he's coming in."

He further added, "But if they have to come back in this game, the spinners need to be a lot more consistent. So maybe England needs to just keep the field away a little bit because I thought they were over-attacks. Because yeah, I mean, you need a slip. Yes, you need a shot, but not for young spinners who are struggling to find the length."