Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has voiced his disapproval of England's umbrella fielding tactics employed against Australian opener Usman Khawaja during the first Ashes Test. Gavaskar referred to the strategy as 'a field for TV', suggesting that such defensive field placements may not lead to breakthroughs.
Gavaskar's criticism comes in the aftermath of England's narrow two-wicket defeat to Australia in a thrilling encounter at Edgbaston, leaving them trailing 0-1 in the five-match series.
In his column for Mid-Day, Gavaskar expressed his observations on the Ashes series in England, noting the newfound freedom with which England's batsmen have been playing under the guidance of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. However, he questioned England's lack of innovation in their bowling tactics, specifically highlighting the novel field placements with three men in catching positions on both sides of the wicket.
Describing it as a "field for TV" rather than a strategic move to secure wickets, Gavaskar emphasized that England's defensive fielding approach had its drawbacks. During the first Test, England dropped six catches and missed a stumping opportunity by Jonny Bairstow. Gavaskar attributed these missed chances to the close proximity of the fielders due to the specific fielding positions, leaving them with little reaction time to pouch the catches.
He further commented that positioning the fielders a few paces back in their regular fielding positions could have made a significant difference in converting those opportunities.
As England prepares to level the five-match series, the focus now shifts to the second game scheduled to take place on June 28 at Lord's. It remains to be seen if England will revisit their fielding strategy in an effort to enhance their performance and secure crucial breakthroughs against the Australian team.