Former England captain Michael Vaughan has pleaded with Ben Stokes and co to play for a draw on the final day as they can’t win the Edgbaston Test from this position.“They can’t win this game,” Vaughan told BBC Cricket.“India have completely dominated the Test match with brilliant skill, great discipline. It’s exactly what I want to see from England tomorrow. In a funny kind of way, this day has been coming where the Bazballers can’t arrive on day five and even think about winning.“Have they got the ticker, the skill set, and the determination to try and get a draw? The next best thing from winning a Test match is getting a draw. If they just kind of give it away and just say, oh, you know, the way that we play, we’re always on the front foot playing aggressively, they’ll get bowled out quickly tomorrow. Have they got the skill set and the mindset to try and bat the full day and get on the bus to Lord’s with a draw? We’ll wait and see.“Vaughan pointed out that in the 34 Tests under Stokes’ captaincy, England have drawn only once — a rain-affected game — while winning 21 and losing 12. He argued that to succeed in major series, especially against top sides like India or in Australia, England’s mindset needs to shift.“Bazball’s going to get asked the ultimate question tomorrow. Are the team and the players going to go completely against what their natural instincts are to do? You’ve got to get what’s best on offer. And what’s best on offer at the minute is a draw,” Vaughan said on Test Match Special.
“If you want to win the big series against the likes of India at home in five matches and you want to go to Australia, I think it’s impossible to have a mindset that we just win, that’s all we go for. We don’t play for draws.“A draw for England from this position, and I hope they get it more in a way of kind of success, if they can get away from here with a draw, it’s almost better than last week’s win because it’s completely against their natural trade.”
