ENG vs IND: Vaughan slams Ben Stokes for Headingley toss decision

Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed shock over England’s choice to bowl first on a dry Headingley pitch, a decision that backfired as India posted a dominant 359 for 3 by the end of Day 1 in the first Test.  Vaughan criticises Stokes' toss decision

 

Speaking to BBC’s Test Match Special, Vaughan criticized the move, citing the hot and dry conditions that offered little help to bowlers and emphasized that England’s current strength lies more in their batting than bowling.

 

“I’m old school,” Vaughan remarked. “When the sun’s out and the pitch is dry at Leeds, you bat first. That’s the traditional call.”

 

Vaughan pointed out the relative inexperience in England’s bowling unit and suggested that captain Ben Stokes went with instinct over logic. 

 

“Ben clearly went with a gut feeling. It’s worked for him in the past, but you have to assess conditions in the moment, not based on what’s worked historically,” he added.  Vaughan dismissing recent results at Headingley

 

While the recent trend at Headingley shows that teams fielding first have won the last six Tests, Vaughan believes such stats shouldn’t override current match conditions.

 

India made the most of England’s miscalculation, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a fluent 101 and captain Shubman Gill leading from the front, remaining unbeaten on 127 and putting India in firm control.

 

Vaughan noted that it would be premature to fully judge the pitch until India’s Jasprit Bumrah bowls on it, acknowledging the fast bowler’s ability to create breakthroughs even on less responsive surfaces.

 

“Ben will still stay upbeat, no doubt. He’ll come back looking for seven wickets on Day 2,” Vaughan concluded.