In his column, former England cricketer Mark Ramprakash voiced strong opinions on the current group of England cricketers ahead of the fourth Test of the India series at Ranchi.
England took the lead in the five-match series with a 28-run win in Hyderabad, but India recovered in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot, the latter scoring a record 434 runsand 2 They led 1-1.
Mark Ramprakash minced no words in his criticism of the England team in his Guardian column.
I don’t want to minimise Stokes’s achievements
Before Ben Stokes’ 100th Test match (at Rajkot), he described him as “like a superman, playing his own game, making his own music.” There were “countless breathtaking profiles and articles to dance with”, and the England captain “has been described as an innovator, a visionary and a great captain.”
“I don’t want to downplay Stokes’ achievements,” Ramprakash added, acknowledging that he “definitely got the public excited about his team” while sitting in a “Q&A with fans during the lunch break”. He recalled the Test match at Lord’s at Kia Oval. “As captain, he took over a group that was underperforming and losing. He took the pressure off them, motivated them, and taught them how to have fun.”
However, Ramprakash also thought about the definition of success. Is the team successful in entertaining the audience whether it wins, loses or draws? Or does success mean winning matches, winning series and fighting for the World Test Championship? Do you mean to do your own work?
“I can’t believe for a second that Stokes thinks it’s all bang, bang, noise.” The proof is his brilliant innings in the 2019 World Cup final, where he was a perfect match for slow wickets. I adapted better. And how he made a great century against Australia at Headingley a few weeks later.
“He is a thinking cricketer and his 100th Test will be tough.” He feels he has accomplished half of his mission as captain. He has changed the atmosphere of the team, but their mindset still has a lot of work to do. ”
“If the only goal is entertainment… they don’t need to put themselves through any recrimination”
Ramprakash reflected on England’s performance on the third day in Rajkot. After defeating India for 445, England were now 207 for 2, a lead that was further strengthened by R Ashwin’s absence. At this point he had retired for the remainder of the Test match, but returned in time for the fourth innings. .
“A ruthless team would have tried to make up for the deficit, keep India on the field, wear down the bowlers and put them in an advantageous position.” “This England team has collapsed,” Ramprakash said. Ta.
“While watching, I was reminded of great football teams and how they win physical battles first and refuse to get distracted from winning games. recalls Tiger Woods’ heyday, how he sometimes had to be tactically and playfully smart in the final stages of tournaments, and the mental strength that led Novak Djokovic to 24 Grand Slam titles. Remember. Great players and teams share some qualities that England still lacks.
“The problem is that this is not always clear to them. They are busy playing games and being entertainers on and off the field. As Ben Duckett says, their press conferences sometimes resemble Muhammad Ali’s It’s like listening to trash talk, “You can have all you want, we’ll get it for you.” Ali was a great entertainer, but he was considered the greatest. His first century was good, but Duckett is not.
“Is he thinking about this moment? Is Joe Root remorseful for letting the ball go straight out in the first innings and getting sent off? Because the only If the goal is entertainment, it’s entirely up to the brand, because they don’t have to expose themselves to any criticism, they don’t need to learn, they don’t need integrity.”
“Where are the Test run-scorers of tomorrow?”
Ramprakash also expressed concerns about England’s system of producing cricketers. Many district academies are promoting power strikes. They want their young players to have a batting average above 100, even if pitching or game conditions don’t necessarily encourage it. Young players who still need to improve their skills are told not to worry, have fun and just get started. Where are tomorrow’s test run scorers and how are they being developed?”
He said Yashasvi Jaiswal’s “extraordinary childhood” (“I left home at 11, lived in a tent for two years and sold street food”) was part of the England team. He added that the research was in contrast to other members. ‘Olly Pope and Zac’ Crawley was an outstanding player who spent his youth at private schools in Cranleigh and Tonbridge. ”
“Sometimes they need to play smart cricket”
In the press conference, Stokes mentioned the possibility of England winning the series 3-2. “I wouldn’t have expected him to say anything different,” Ramprakash recalls. “When they were 2-0 down on him in the Ashes, it seemed to strengthen their approach and increase their focus.”
England famously equalized from a two-goal deficit to qualify for the 2023 Ashes and would almost certainly have won the fourth Test match had it not been for the rain.
“Maybe the carelessness that got them into this situation will help them recover,” Ramprakash said. “If there’s any team that has the chance to accept a terrible result and start over, it’s this team. They had a lot of fun playing cricket, but sometimes you have to play smart cricket. Stokes was in his prime. It will take all of his inspired leadership to rally this group and convince them to take the remaining two games as a real opportunity.
“He has already had a great career and to have played in 100 Tests and built such an entertaining team is a great achievement.” As he approaches his second century, he hopes to achieve a successful century. need to concentrate on. ”
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