Manchester, July 26 (IANS) Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dismissal in the second innings of ongoing fourth Test against England resulted from a minor difference in the ball which took him out, which made the difference between a confident stroke and soft dismissal.
Veteran all-rounder Chris Woakes struck in the opening over of India’s second innings when he got one to shape away enough and take the leading edge of a squared up Jaiswal’s bat, which was brilliantly caught by one-handed Joe Root going low to his right at slip, as the left-handed opener fell for a duck.
“When you analyse Jaiswal’s dismissal, the delivery that got him out was fuller, but it landed in the same area as the previous one — which he had handled well. So this is a batter whose mind was slightly muddled. A couple of inches made the difference between a confident stroke and a soft dismissal.”
“This is where greatness lies, in being able to replicate what you did earlier in the series under different pressure. But it’s hard. These are young players, and they’ll have days like this. We need to keep that in perspective,” said Manjrekar on JioHotstar.
He further talked about how fatigue took a mental toll in young batters Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan being out for ducks before lunch on day four’s play. “This was somewhat on the cards, given how England performed with the bat in the first innings. That little session before lunch today felt like a reality check. And honestly, it’s only human for someone like Yashasvi Jaiswal or Sai Sudharsan to fall in this manner.”
“We’re now expecting the impossible from a young batting line-up that’s done well so far, but is now facing a massive deficit with their backs against the wall. These are situations even seasoned batters struggle with. We saw a bit of tentativeness.”
“Chris Woakes was smart — coming around the wicket, bowling one full delivery followed by a short one, which is rare. Jofra Archer also let one rip, and it had real bite. When you look at the batting order, it’s concerning — especially with Rishabh Pant unlikely to bat. Beyond this, it’s Jadeja and Washington Sundar. We must brace for the worst — and anything better will be a bonus,” he elaborated.
Stuart Broad, the former England fast bowler, praised Ben Stokes’ for smashing 141, his first Test hundred in two years, as the hosts’ made 669 and grabbed a lead of 311 runs. Stokes has also become just the third player after Sir Garfield Sobers and Jacques Kallis to achieve a rare double of 7,000 runs and 200 wickets.
“Ben Stokes isn’t someone typically driven by personal milestones, but this hundred clearly held significance. It had been a couple of years since his last century, and he hadn’t taken a five-wicket haul in eight years prior to this Test — making it a particularly special week for him at Old Trafford.”
“He thrives in big moments, fully aware of when the pressure is at its peak, and consistently delivers when it matters most. This wasn’t a century made in a drawn match — it was crafted to push the game forward.”
“Even after reaching the milestone, he added a quick 40 to give England a chance to bowl three testing overs at India. It was also an emotional knock — a tribute to his late father. But what will mean even more to him is if it contributes to an England victory,” he concluded.
–IANS
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