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“Choosing the best batsman to skipper a side is bound to be counter-productive,” says John Starbuck. “Responsibility for the bulk of runs will weigh the player down, if there are not enough good bats to take up any slack. Also, there’s no guarantee that a good batsman is necessarily the best one to rotate bowlers, manipulate the field and generally be a leader. Top batters tend to be selfish by nature, and hence have less empathy; too much masculinity is a drawback.”
I agree the principle is flawed – did we learn nothing from Sachin – but I don’t agree it’s bound to be counter-productive. It has empowered a lot of batsmen to reach greater heights, including those who were eventually worn down by it (Atherton, Hussain, Strauss, Cook).
24th over: England 57-4 (Stokes 12, Buttler 13) Stokes survives an LBW shout from Bumrah, with the ball pitching miles outside leg stump. That’s the end of a distressing morning session for England, whose makeshift top order was demolished by some spectacular swing bowling from Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma. India were brilliant; England were not. Batting should get easier as the day progresses, but for who?
Written by Rob Smyth
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2018/aug/30/england-v-india-fourth-test-day-one-live under the title “England v India: fourth Test, day one – live!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
