David Lloyd, the former England player, used a line from Adele’s hit song Rolling in the Deep to describe the impact Indian fast bowler Akash Deep had on Ben Stokes’ team during the Edgbaston Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. According to Lloyd, England will wish they’d never met the 28-year-old, as he inflicted damage that will linger into the third Test at Lord’s, starting on July 10.
Akash Deep claimed 10 wickets in the Test, becoming only the second Indian to accomplish this feat in England. He was brought in as a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, who was resting. This led some to underestimate both him and the team. However, his excellent bowling spells played a key role in India’s 336-run victory, tying the series at 1-1.
Lloyd wrote in his Daily Mail column, Send for Adele! England were rolling in the deep in this match. Akash came along when they almost had it all, and they wish they’d never met him. He will leave scars to remind them…when they get to Lord’s.”
On a more serious note, Lloyd mentioned that the English team was not pleased with the Edgbaston pitch. They felt that the groundskeepers had removed too much grass, which benefited the Indian team.
He stated, There are murmurs from the England camp that too much grass was removed from the Edgbaston pitch, which allowed India’s fast bowlers to get more movement than the English bowlers. The Indian bowlers are generally shorter, and their deliveries graze the surface, while England’s taller bowlers hit the pitch hard. The slow nature of the pitch reduced their pace.
Lloyd also cautioned the hosts regarding their batting issues and Bumrah’s return at Lord’s.
Lloyd said, It’s not time to panic, but a drink is in order. The fact that five of England’s top six failed against an Indian attack that was missing its best fast bowler is cause for concern. It appears we have to accept Zak Crawley’s inconsistency, and Ollie Pope returned to his frantic style. A quiet game for Joe Root is unusual. Jasprit Bumrah will be back at Lord’s, and India are not to be taken lightly.