Former England captain Michael Vaughan opined on questioning Team India captain Shubman Gill’s decision to bring Nitish Kumar Reddy into the attack in the 14th over of Day 1 of the third Test at Lord’s as well. The plan worked as he dismissed both Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in the space of three deliveries to reduce England to 44-2.

“I would say throughout the day, it was probably Nitish Kumar Reddy that put Joe Root under more pressure than any of the bowlers. It was a masterstroke from Shubman Gill, because I was commentary and I was thinking,’ Why is he bowling Nitish Kumar Reddy already?’ So, that was a really good move, a tactical move,” Vaughan said of Gill on Cricbuzz. “Siraj and Akash Deep, understandably, looked a bit tired. It was only a few days ago where they were charging at Edgbaston, and they are having to do it again.”

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Vaughan also added that the lack of pace and bounce on the pitch made it impossible to show aggression as well.

“Bazball was not possible on that surface. Impossible to go out and play your strokes, impossible to play the cut, the pull. England realised that because their best player was out in the middle. The message from Root would have been to just bat,” Vaughan said. “I look at the way India bowled to him, and I think could they have done anything different (against Root)? The only thing I think they could have tried, and it’s tough on a slow wicket, is maybe a few more bouncers, that is the only thing I can say,” Michael Vaughan concluded.