With India completing a series double over England in the ongoing home series -- winning the Test series followed by five-match T20Is --, former Indian cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar refused to read too much into the emphatic 3-1 Tests win saying the opponents were a sub-standard side playing on sub-standard pitches.
To jog readers' mind, the last three Test matches of the India-England series (one played in Chennai with the last two played in Ahmedabad) came under the scanner after two of the matches within three days with the historic day/night Test between the nations ending in just two.
Vengsarkar told the daily Assam Tribune that while beating Australia Down Under was commendable, the series win at home came against a 'novice' English batting.
"To beat a full-strength Australia in Australia, well, no praise can be too high… To talk of England, India won the Test series emphatically on sub-standard pitches and against a sub-standard opposition," he said. "I don’t wish to take credit away from either (Ravichandran) Ashwin or Axar Patel, but England batted like novices."
He further tore into England's infamous rotation policy, as per which it rests players for few games in order to get them some rest of the gruelling COVID-19 quarantine protocol and bio-secure bubble.
"England’s rotation policy made no sense to me. Rotate players in ODIs and T20Is, never in Test cricket. The Test XI has to be the best available, but England’s players began going back home/ being rested right after the opening Test! England’s administrators must review this policy," he said.
Passion, pure passion… Virat’s energy is incredible.So infectious, as well…Don’t forget he’s in his 13th year as an India cricketer.
Perhaps, Virat is hungrier than ever before.
