Crawley was adjudged LBW off wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in a close DRS call at the stroke of lunch.
Chasing 399 to win, the visitors were 67/1 at the close of play on Day 3. However, the English batting line-up capitulated on the penultimate day to be bowled out for 292.
Opening batter Zak Crawley, who top scored for the visitors in the first innings with 76, also starred with the bat in the second essay, scoring 73 with controlled aggression.
Crawley was adjudged LBW off wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in a close DRS call at the stroke of lunch. It appeared the ball was going down leg but hawkeye showed that it was actually hitting the leg-stump.
After the game, England skipper Ben Stokes claimed that Zak Crawley was at the receiving end of a wrong DRS decision.
“Technology in the game is obviously there. Everyone has an understanding of the reasons it can never be 100 percent which is why we have the umpire’s call. That’s why it’s in place. When it’s not 100 percent as everyone says, I don’t think it’s unfair for someone to say I think the technology has got it wrong on this occasion,” Stokes said.
“And that is my personal opinion. I will say that. But in a game full of ifs, buts and maybes, I am not going to say that the reason why we haven’t got the result we wanted. I’m just saying my personal opinion is that the technology has gone wrong on this occasion, and I think that’s fair to say.”
“You can’t really do much with things that have been and gone. A decision has been made, and you can’t really overturn a decision that has been made. That is where I stand on that,” he added.
The England captain also informed that a couple of players in the squad woke up sick on Monday morning.
While Stokes didn’t mention any names, reports are claiming that Ben Foakes, Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley, who all batted in the second innings, were not 100 percent.
“A couple woke up this morning not feeling great, and when everyone had the same symptoms you know there is something going around. There’s a bit of a virus going round, it’s not an excuse for the result or anything, because it’s a game full of ifs, buts and maybes.
“Something that is not ideal. You obviously want everyone to be 100% and feeling great. But proud that the guys who were feeling under the weather didn’t shy away from anything they needed to do and gave it their best,” Stokes stated.
As a result of England’s loss in the Vizag Test, the five-match is currently levelled at 1-1. The third Test is slated to get underway after an extended break on February 15 in Rajkot.
(With PTI Inputs)