LONDON: Former England captain Andrew Strauss feels the way Joe Root’s side conceded defeat against India in the second Test could hurt the “injured and battered” hosts in the remaining five-match series.
England lost by 151 runs on the final day at Lord’s.
“They were the favourites, but before lunch (the last day) things went haywire and then there was another top-order collapse,” Strauss told Sky Sports.
“Those early wickets put enormous pressure on the middle order and India had enough overs to get them out. It was strenuous.”
He said India “fully deserved” to go up one in the five-match series.
“Every series, with India and especially (Virat) Kohli, is fantastic and as the match was on the line, you expected nothing more. Test cricket has had five wonderful days.
“India were exceptional and at times it looked like England were about to get out of jail, but in the end, you have to say, India deserved it, they did enough to win. England is going to be completely battered and injured as a result of this.”
Strauss has also called for a change in England’s top order after another disappointing performance from the batsmen.
He is sure that in-form opener Dom Sibley can be dropped ahead of the third Test at Headingley.
For the first time in Test history, both England openers were dismissed for zero in the same innings of a home match.
“At some stage if you stay down two or three for nothing, it’s going to come back to haunt you.”
“Yes, those were two good balls to get rid of Burns and Sibley, but of course, Joe Root is under pressure, (Haseeb) Hameed is under pressure and then Jonny Bairstow and the middle order too. You do that from time to time. Can’t,” Strauss said.
Sibley averages just 14.25 in four innings in the series and with only one half-century in his last 15 Test innings, Strauss expects the 25-year-old right-handed batsman to be dropped. Root (128.66) is the only player from England to average over 30.
“I think it may be time to bring Sibley off the firing line. He has looked out of touch. I think Ollie Pope is probably going to come back, who has been in and around the team, but will his Is it right to bat in the top three? It’s not an easy solution.
“There are a lot of problems for England, no doubt about it. If they had gotten away with it again, we would have been able to paper over the cracks, but not anymore.”
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