Former Skipper Michael Vaughan Praises England’s First Test Victory, Home or Away

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has described England’s victory over India in the Hyderabad Test as the best he has ever witnessed. England managed to overcome a 190-run deficit while batting in the second innings and eventually won by 28 runs on the fourth day. Ollie Pope’s outstanding performance with 196 runs in England’s second innings and debutant spinner Tom Hartley’s impressive 7/62 haul played a significant role in India’s collapse for 202 runs while chasing a target of 231.

Vaughan praised England for achieving this remarkable victory against India in their own backyard, especially considering India’s reputation as one of the strongest Test teams at home. He highlighted that India had never lost a Test at home after conceding such a substantial first-innings lead.

In his column for The Telegraph, Vaughan also criticized India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, for what he perceived as “very, very average” captaincy during the first Test. He noted that Rohit Sharma appeared reactive rather than proactive in terms of field placements and bowling changes, and he struggled to find a solution to Ollie Pope’s batting techniques.

Despite a brief partnership between Ashwin and Srikar Bharat, India lost wickets at regular intervals during the chase. However, the exceptional performance of England’s spinner, Tom Hartley, who took seven wickets, ultimately sealed the victory for England.

The next Test between England and India is scheduled to begin on February 2 in Vizag.