England vs India: Wasim Jaffer holds batters responsible for India’s 7-wicket defeat – No excuse in the third innings
India Today
ENG vs IND, 5th Test, England won the fifth Test by seven wickets after Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow scored three centuries for them.
Former batter Wasim Jaffer reckoned that the Indian batters should have done better in their second innings of the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Jaffer felt that India should have scored around the 400-run mark and set the Three Lions a stiffer target in the fourth innings.
Jasprit Bumrah and Co. were bowled out for 245 in their second innings after Ben Stokes picked up a four-wicket haul. Jaffer also lauded Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow for helping the Brits chase down 378 in the first session on Day five.
"Yes (whether batters should be blamed for the defeat), absolutely. The conditions in the first innings were a bit difficult, but there was no excuse in the third innings. India should have scored 350-400,” Jaffer was quoted as saying to ESPNcricinfo.
"Yes, but you have to praise Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow too. It was batsmanship of another level," he stated.
Root and Bairstow stitched together an unbeaten 269-run stand for the fourth wicket and helped England secure a seven-wicket victory. Root stayed unbeaten on 142 and also won the Player of the Series award for the hosts.
Jaffer also said that Root has the potential to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most runs in Test cricket. Having already scored 10458 runs with 28 centuries to his name, Root is only 5463 runs behind the Master Blaster, who retired from Test cricket back in November 2013.
"He can do it provided he plays that long. He's still 31 but we know Australian and English players don't have long careers. If he plays for 5-6 years more, he's capable of breaking the record," Jaffer added.
