Ricky Ponting Critiques India's Bowling Strategy in Fourth Test Against England

Ponting's Harsh Assessment of India's Bowling Performance

In Manchester, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting did not hold back in his criticism of India's bowling strategy during the second day of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. Despite the conditions being less favorable for India, their execution was notably poor, particularly with the new ball.

The Indian bowlers struggled with their lines, allowing England's opening batsmen, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, to capitalize on their mistakes, creating significant pressure for captain Shubman Gill.

Ponting's Discontent with Tactical Decisions

Ponting expressed his dissatisfaction with India's tactical choices, particularly the decision to give the new ball to debutant Anshul Kamboj instead of seasoned bowler Mohammed Siraj. While Jasprit Bumrah managed to control the run rate, Kamboj faced relentless attacks from the English batsmen.

"They were scored off on both sides of the wicket, weren't they? We discussed how they bowled to Pope, and I think they were tactically off. Kamboj should not have taken the new ball; I didn't like that decision from the start. Duckett scored five of his first six boundaries behind square leg, indicating a tactical error," Ponting remarked on Sky Sports.

Bumrah's Bowling Strategy Under Fire

Ponting also criticized Bumrah for his approach, suggesting he bowled from the wrong end. Most wickets had fallen from the Statham end, while Bumrah primarily operated from the Anderson end. This misalignment further highlighted India's tactical shortcomings.

"Even now, watching Bumrah, I believe he is bowling from the wrong end. Most wickets have come from the Statham end, yet he has done most of his work from the Anderson end. Their execution was off, and tactically, they were lacking as well," he concluded.

England's Openers Capitalize on Indian Errors

After India managed to score 358 runs, Duckett (94) and Crawley (84) formed a formidable opening partnership, accumulating 166 runs before Jadjea made a breakthrough. He tempted Crawley into a drive outside his body, resulting in an edge caught by KL Rahul. Kamboj then claimed Duckett's wicket, denying him a century with an edge to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, marking Kamboj's first Test wicket. England ended the day at 225/2, trailing by 133 runs.