Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t mince words while analysing England’s collapse in the fifth and final Test at The Oval, which saw India clinch a dramatic six-run win and level the series 2-2. While praising Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna for their heroics, Ashwin reserved sharp criticism for England’s Harry Brook, whose rash dismissal turned the tide of the game.
Brook was in scintillating form during England’s daunting chase of 374. Coming in at a shaky 100/3, the young batter launched a fierce counterattack, smashing a superb century and stitching together a 195-run stand with veteran Joe Root, who also reached three figures. At one point, England looked firmly on course to seal a 3-1 series victory.
However, Brook’s momentum came to a sudden halt when he attempted a reckless charge against Akash Deep and ended up offering a catch to Siraj in the deep. Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, called it the turning point of the match.
“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,” the former India international said.
Ashwin opens up on Brook’s Bazball batting
The veteran spinner criticised England’s unwavering commitment to their aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach, questioning its wisdom in pressure situations.
“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.
He also offered a poetic observation on how the game shifted: “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.”
With Siraj and Krishna tightening the screws in the final session, India pulled off a stunning win, ending the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series on level terms.