IND vs ENG 2024: Wasting a golden opportunity – Michael Atherton slams England batters after Rajkot loss

Former England skipper Michael Atherton slammed English batters after they were given an ignominious hammering of 434 runs by India at Rajkot. The visitors batters could not deliver the goods in the third Test match and it led to their downfall.

England were 224-2 in the first innings but were bundled out for 319 to concede a huge lead of 126 runs. Thus, they lost the last eight wickets for only 95 runs and failed to capitalize on a promising start. Ben Duckett played a fabulous knock of 153 runs but the rest of the batters failed to contribute with the bat.

England’s middle-order hasn’t been at their best in the ongoing series and the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root have failed to deliver. Furthermore, the visitors were skittled out for a paltry score of 122 runs in the second essay. None of the England batters could go past the 35-run mark in the second innings as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Michael Atherton wrote in his column for The Times: “Careful husbandry of resources is not the Bazball way. They have been profligate in the extreme in this match, wasting a golden opportunity to build on Duckett’s brilliant second-day hundred and to achieve parity or more on the first innings.”

“They were forced to take some bitter medicine as a consequence on a stifling and totally demoralizing fourth day in Rajkot.”

Atherton slammed Ben Duckett for his self-delusion comment as he compared Yashasvi Jaiswal’s aggressive batting style with Bazball.

“One can admire the positivity and playfulness of Ben Duckett and this England team – such were his comments on the third evening – while also questioning their occasional self-delusion.”

Stokes also concurred with Atherton, stating they failed to get the job done despite being in a good position as they could not execute their game plans.

“Ben Duckett played an unbelievable innings. That was the tone we wanted to set throughout the innings. It was about identifying that opportunity and getting as close to India’s total.

“We wanted to bowl yesterday but it was earlier than when we wanted. Sometimes gameplans don’t work and that was the case.”

India and England will next take on each other at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi in the fourth Test match from Friday.