IND vs ENG 3rd Test: 'They betrayed everyone' - R Ashwin surprised by shift in England's approach
Former India spinner
Ravichandran Ashwin
has taken a light-hearted but sharp dig at England's batting approach on Day 1 of the third Test at Lord's. The veteran India off-spinner was left surprised, like many fans, as
Ben Stokes
' side moved away from their aggressive 'Bazball' style and chose a more cautious route instead.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin jokingly said England had 'betrayed everyone' who expected attacking cricket. Instead of their usual free-flowing strokeplay, England batted at a much slower pace, scoring at around three runs an over.
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'It was a good day for England,' Ashwin began, 'but everyone believed they would continue with Bazball. What we saw instead was Prankball. Their run rate dropped, and they looked far more defensive than expected.'
Jasprit Bumrah press conference: Hits out at critics, on Lord's Honours Boards, ball controversy
Ashwin, who has played several Tests against England, said he couldn't quite make sense of the shift in mindset. He also acknowledged
Joe Root
's hundred as the standout performance of the day. 'I've said earlier that Joe Root scoring runs is very important for England. And just when it was needed, he delivered. That knock was a proper lesson in how to play Test cricket. Root is back,' he said.
Poll
How do you feel about the term 'Prankball' used by Ashwin?
It's a funny take.
It's a bit harsh.
On the field, Root's brilliant 104 helped England reach 387 in their first innings.
Jasprit Bumrah
led India's bowling with a five-wicket haul. In reply, India ended Day 2 on 145 for 3, with
KL Rahul
steady at one end and
Rishabh Pant
playing positively despite a finger injury.
Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
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