Former England pacer Stuart Broad has taken a sharp dig at the home team’s tactics on the final day of the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, calling Harry Brook’s spell “embarrassing” and as tensions flared in the dying moments of the match. With the Test heading towards a draw and Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar approaching centuries, England skipper Ben Stokes offered a handshake to mutually end the game. But Jadeja turned it down, preferring to let the Indian duo reach their personal milestones.
Frustrated by the decision, Stokes handed the ball to part-time bowler Harry Brook, who surprisingly switched from his usual medium pace to off-spin in an apparent move to fast-track the conclusion of the match. Stuart Broad, speaking on the “For The Love Of Cricket” podcast, didn’t hold back. “Harry Brook came on to bowl and he bowled absolute filth. He bowled off spin. It was a bit of an embarrassing moment,” Broad said, clearly unimpressed with the switch. “Right-arm medium pace and you come up and bowl off spin? I didn’t know he bowled off spin,” Broad added. “He looked like a poor man’s Dan Lawrence in his action. He was trying to get the game done if they (India batters) were trying to get their hundreds.” The closing stages saw further drama as Stokes brought all fielders within ten yards of the bat, seemingly urging India to finish their innings quickly.Broad however, stated that if he were playing, he’d be looking to get the game done as soon as possible and take his boots off. However, the former pacer did agree that neither side was in the wrong – India wanting to bat longer or England wanting to wrap things up quickly. The incident has sparked debate among cricket pundits. While Dale Steyn defended England’s move to save their bowlers for the Oval decider, Sunil Gavaskar slammed Stokes and praised India’s batters for standing firm. Nasser Hussain also criticised the decision to use Brook, questioning the message it sent.
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With the five-match series standing at 2-1 in England’s favour, the final Test at The Oval will be decisive. India need a win to level the series, while England will look to seal it with a 3-1 result. But as the series finale approaches, Broad’s blunt remarks have further exposed the growing scrutiny over England’s fourth-day mindset.
