Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressed his disappointment with England’s tactics during the first Ashes 2023 Test at Edgbaston. Kaif found it nonsensical for England to declare their innings on Day 1 with Joe Root still at the crease, having scored an impressive century.
The opening day of the highly anticipated Ashes series delivered an exhilarating display of cricket. After winning the toss and electing to bat, England adopted an aggressive approach, entertaining the crowd with their Bazball style of play, even while losing wickets at regular intervals.
Joe Root emerged as the standout performer on Day 1, smashing a remarkable century and displaying unwavering focus despite the fall of wickets at the other end. This new template of England’s attacking Test cricket captivated the spectators. Contributions from Jonny Bairstow (78), Zack Crawley (61), Harry Brook, and Ollie Pope ensured England surpassed the 300-run mark on the opening day.
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However, the highlight turned into bewilderment when England surprisingly declared their innings toward the end of the day’s play. With less than half an hour remaining before stumps, skipper Ben Stokes made the decision to call his team back.
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What perplexed many was that England was on the verge of reaching the 400-run milestone, with Joe Root still standing tall at the crease on an unbeaten 118. Considering the flat pitch conditions, the intention seemed to be getting a quick crack at Australia’s openers. Although England bowled decently, they failed to claim any wickets in the remaining 20 minutes.
Mohammad Kaif expressed his skepticism about England’s declaration, questioning the rationale behind it, particularly with Root’s outstanding innings in progress. Taking to Twitter, he shared his thoughts: “England playing to win is fine but declaring with Root unbeaten on 118 makes no sense. Out of the box thinking or an unwanted risky call? Time will tell.”
England concluded their innings with a score of 393/8. In response, Australia managed to reach 14 runs on the board with David Warner and Usman Khawaja undefeated at 8 and 4, respectively, before the umpire called stumps. The consequences of England’s decision to declare early remain to be seen as the Ashes battle continues.