Follow UsJust over three days ago, England slipped to a humiliating 4-1 loss at the hands of India, and the series laid bare the Three Lions’ issues against spin bowling. 63% of England’s wickets across the five games fell to spin, and they averaged a paltry 14.7 against the tweakers, having little clue.
Nothing underscored England’s difficulty against spin in the series more than the troubles of their star batter, Harry Brook, who perished five times out of five to the tweakers, averaging just 13.6.
Brook was humiliated by Varun Chakravarthy's mystery spin across the five games, but it goes without saying that the right-hander has a larger issue against spin bowling in general. He now averages 16.38 against slower bowlers in Indian conditions across 12 games. Overall, in his career, he averages 34 against pace as opposed to just 25 against spin.
According to former England captain Michael Vaughan, Brook’s problem is that he almost ‘disrespects’ spin bowling.
“Harry Brook is definitely part of that [spin] problem [for England]. Brook can clearly come good against spin. He has got the game and the gift to overcome anything. I just think he is too aggressive against spin. He almost disrespects it, and thinks he can just whack it out of the ground,” Vaughan wrote in his column for Telegraph Sport.
Vaughan further advised Brook to watch and learn from Joe Root, widely regarded as the best player of spin England has ever produced, to improve his own game. Vaughan urged Brook to think of more than just ‘boundaries’.
“I would love him to watch Joe Root, who is a master of going back, hitting into the leg side, nabbing a two, or getting off strike,” Vaughan said.
“Sweeps and reverse sweeps to manoeuvre the field and create gaps. Do not just think boundary, boundary, boundary all the time. If Brook marries his own game with a bit of Root, he will be much better for it.”