Former English cricketer Kevin Pietersen on Monday (4th July) lashed out at Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah for his tactics. He was disappointed with the way the visitors allowed easy strike-rotation to the hosts.
After dominating the first three days of the ongoing rescheduled Test against England at Edgbaston, India came under pressure during the Day 4 of the game. The visitors ended their second innings on 245 runs, setting a target of 378 runs.
Bumrah-led India then failed to put pressure on the English openers, who came out all guns blazing and scored 100 runs inside 20 overs. The skipper then brought his side back into the game with two quick wickets but Joe Root (76*) and Jonny Bairstow (72*) committed carnage on Indian bowlers and scored runs easily.
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What came under scrutiny was India’s field placement as they allowed English batters to take easy singles, which never really put them under pressure.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Kevin Pietersen said that the skipper Bumrah failed to get his tactics right. He was disappointed with how easy the Indian pacer made it for the England batters to bat by allowing easy strike rotation.
"I don't think Bumrah got his tactics right today at all, and I say that with the greatest deal of respect.There is no way with a reverse swinging ball that he should make it that easy for the batter, because the batter is trying so hard to decipher which way that ball is swinging. When it's reverse swinging at 90mph, the nicest place to bat is at the non-striker's end, and the ability to get to the non-strikers end as easily as they did this afternoon, it's too easy," Pietersen said.
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Pietersen slammed Bumrah for setting the field at long-off and long-on. Calling it madness, the former cricketer said that it would’ve been effective for the last 15-20 minutes of the play and not for half and hour.
"They had long off and long on, and that was pure madness. For half an hour that was pure madness. Even for the last 15-20 minutes of the day's play, pull them right in, say 'Jonny, if you're good enough to hit me over the head, please do it,” he said.
Pietersen hopes India to rectify their mistake on Day 5.
"I hope they don't do it tomorrow morning, but for England's sake, absolutely, let them spread them as far as they want,” he said.
At Stumps on Day 4, England was just 119 runs away from the win whereas India needs 7 wickets to script the history.
(Sky Sports inputs)
