“England disrespected the cricketing gods” - Ravi Ashwin reveals the reason behind England’s six-run loss to India

Former Indian spinner and analyst Ravi Ashwin has slammed the England batting unit for playing reckless cricket on the fourth and fifth days of the Oval Test to lose the game by six runs on Tuesday, August 4.

Furthermore, Ashwin stated that Test cricket needs a certain amount of balance, but in the fourth innings, when the finish line is in sight, the batters could’ve taken more responsibility for taking their team over the line instead of continuing reckless cricket.

While Brook scored 111 runs, Root went on to hit 105 runs as the duo stitched a 195-run partnership for the fourth wicket to steady things for England. However, since Brook’s dismissal, England looked in complete tatters as they staged a major collapse.

“When he (Brook) walked into the crease at 100/3, England were not in the match at all and when he took those chances against Akash Deep, England were staring down the barrel and a big defeat was reckoning but when he got out it was the moment that Harry Brook could have cherished. He could have walked outside The Oval with his bat held high alongwith Joe Root who broke records after records and could have won the series 3-1 for England but he played reckless shot and it was his punished of that was why England lost the match and ended up drawing the series,” said Ashwin on his YouTube show Ash ki baat.

“As a captain, as a coach, you can proclaim to the world that this is your brand of cricket. They can say that Brook played the way we wanted him to play. He embraced our beliefs. All of this is easier said than done but Test cricket needs a certain amount of balance. Yes, I agree that this approach did get you runs in the first innings but in the fourth innings, if you are playing on 100 and the finish line is in sight, then it is your responsibility to see your team through,” he added.

Subsequently, Ashwin asserted that England disrespected the cricketing gods, which was the reason, the pitch allowed the ball to move a lot as the innings progressed and it assisted the Indian pacers eventually.

“Brook definitely missed that opportunity and it all fell on Root’s shoulders and for India’s good, the conditions also changed, and such things happen when the cricketing gods are disrespected. The way England disrespected the cricketing gods, even the clouds came together, cried on the pitch and allowed the ball to move a lot,” Ashwin noted.

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