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Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘Picking Kuldeep can be the right move but how would you fit him in?': Steve Harmison says India might have to make some tough calls at Manchester
With the Old Trafford pitch expected to assist spinners as the match progresses, former England pacer Steve Harmison batted for Kuldeep Yadav to be included in India's playing XI for the 4th Test at Manchester, set to begin on Wednesday. However, the 46-year-old acknowledged that adding Kuldeep in an already well-balanced side might pose a dilemma in case India opt to line up with 2 spinners with one being Kuldeep. That would mean either leaving out Washington Sundar or Ravindra Jadeja which Harmison says will be a pretty tough call. 'The wicket in the fourth Test is not going to offer bounce to Kuldeep, but it will spin as the Test match progresses. And with the last three Tests all going deep into the fifth day, India have to seriously consider playing a second or even a third spinner,' Harmison said. 'At the moment, their side is well-balanced. But the challenge lies in finding a way to bring Kuldeep Yadav in. You cannot drop Washington Sundar or Ravindra Jadeja. So, can you play three spinners? That would be a big call, especially considering the situation around Jasprit Bumrah. Picking Kuldeep can be the right move, but how would you fit him in? There may have to be a tough decision — is it Sundar who misses out? I wouldn't want to be the one making that call,' he added. Harmison also expects conditions at Old Trafford to mirror those at Edgbaston and Lord's — low-scoring, lacking in pace and bounce, but breaking up as the match wears on. 'If it's going to rain anywhere in England, and it hasn't rained here in almost three months, it'll be in Manchester. If there's any venue where you might consider playing two spinners or even three spinners, it's Manchester,' he said. While he expects India to weigh up the spin-heavy option, Harmison said England were unlikely to follow suit. 'England won't go that route, they have got Liam Dawson, but India might consider it. I expect a wicket very similar to what we saw at Edgbaston and Lord's, one that will break up as the game progresses and offer turn later on. 'But I don't see much pace or bounce in it, and once again, we could be looking at a lower-scoring affair.' (With agency inputs)
India Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Not sure India believed they could get Leeds hero Ben Duckett out: Steve Harmison
Former England pacer Steve Harmison feels that India didn't believe they would get Leeds Test hero Ben Duckett out on Day 5 of the match on Tuesday, June 24. Duckett played with positive intent on the final day of the match and put the Indian bowlers to the sword with his fantastic batting. The England opener scored 149 runs off 170 balls, hitting 21 boundaries and a six before being dismissed and putting England on course for a five-wicket win. Duckett was dropped at 98, but apart from that, he looked solid throughout his knock. Harmison praised Duckett for his knock and claimed that the England opener believed that he will play the match-winning knock. advertisement'Ben Duckett played wonderfully well. He believed he was going to play a match-winning knock,' Duckett said, speaking to ESPN Cricinfo. When it came to India, Harmison that they didn't get the plans right against Duckett and he capitalised on it. 'He (Duckett) believed he was going to score runs. He had a lot of positive intent, like he always does. I am not sure India believed they are going to get him out. I don't think India got their plans right. I don't think they bowled the right lengths and right lines to him. And, he capitalized on it," said Harmison. 'India didn't have an answer for Duckett'Harmison said that India didn't have an answer or formula to stop Duckett from scoring and felt that the visitors weren't even stopping singles. advertisement'They didn't have an answer. They didn't have a formula to stop him from scoring. They didn't have a plan and really were rudderless when it came to what their plan was, executing their skill set. Even in the field, they weren't stopping singles. India's bowlers were bowling good balls, but England were getting singles,' said Harmison. Duckett was adjudged as the Player Of The Match for his match-winning knock. India and England will face-off in the second Test, starting from July 2 at Edgbaston. - EndsTune InMust Watch
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First Post
25-06-2025
- Sport
- First Post
'Not sure India believed they could get Duckett out': Steve Harmison delivers stinging criticism of Indian bowling
In a stinging criticism of Team India, former England pacer Steve Harmison questioned the lack of belief among Jasprit Bumrah and Co when they were up against opener Ben Duckett. read more Ben Duckett was declared the Player of the Match in Headingley Test for scoring 212 runs across two innings. Image: Reuters Former England cricketer Steve Harmison feels India's lack of belief helped Ben Duckett slam a match-winning hundred on Day 5 of the Headingley Test as the hosts won the match by five wickets to take a 1-0 lead. The left-handed opener, Duckett, scored a 149 in the fourth and final innings before hitting 62 in the first essay. More than just the runs, it was how he collected them that spoiled India's bowling plans and took away the momentum from them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Duckett was quite effective against Jasprit Bumrah and scored his runs at a strike rate of 88. He did make a mistake on 97 when he mistimed his hook shot off Mohammed Siraj, but Yashasvi Jaiswal failed to take the catch at deep square leg . Harmison questions lack of belief in Indian bowling Harmison criticised India's bowling and said that they never believed they could get Duckett out. This allowed the opener to stitch a 188-run opening partnership with Zak Crawley. 'He (Duckett) believed he was going to score runs. He had a lot of positive intent, like he always does. I am not sure India believed they are going to get him out. I don't think India got their plans right. I don't think they bowled the right lengths and right lines to him. And, he capitalized on it," said Harmison. Also Read | Ben Stokes speaks on reinventing Bazball and beating India at Headingley Former pacer Harmison also said that India didn't have a concrete plan to stop Duckett, which exposes their lack of strategy. 'They didn't have an answer. They didn't have a formula to stop him from scoring. They didn't have a plan and really were rudderless when it came to what their plan was, executing their skill set. Even in the field, they weren't stopping singles. India's bowlers were bowling good balls, but England were getting singles,' said Harmison. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Hindustan Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Shubman Gill's India labelled 'rudderless', didn't believe they would even 'get Ben Duckett out': 'No formula, no plan'
Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison launched a scathing assessment of India's bowling and fielding approach after Ben Duckett's blazing 149 helped England gun down a record 371-run target in the Headingley Test. Harmison did not hold back in pointing out how disorganised Shubman Gill's side looked throughout Duckett's stay, claiming they never really believed they could get the left-hander out. India's captain Shubman Gill reacts after his team defeat on day five of the first cricket test match between England and India (AFP) 'Ben Duckett played wonderfully well. He believed he was going to play a match-winning knock,' Harmison told ESPNCricinfo. 'He (Duckett) believed he was going to score runs. He had a lot of positive intent, like he always does. I am not sure India believed they are going to get him out. I don't think India got their plans right. I don't think they bowled the right lengths and right lines to him. And, he capitalised on it.' Duckett's innings laid the foundation for what turned out to be England's second-highest successful chase in Test history. But Harmison felt India simply failed to rise to the challenge. 'They didn't have an answer. They didn't have a formula to stop him from scoring. They didn't have a plan and really were rudderless when it came to what their plan was, executing their skill set. Even in the field, they weren't stopping singles. India's bowlers were bowling good balls, but England were getting singles,' Harmison added, pulling no punches. Player of the match The left-hander was deservedly named Player of the Match and credited England's clarity of thought in the morning session. 'In that period [first session], it was really important that Zak and I got through without losing any wickets,' Duckett said. 'It was pretty clear to us this morning. If we batted for the whole day [at the tempo that] we normally do, we'd probably get the total, so we didn't overthink anything. Certainly, we had to get through Jasprit's first spell and that new ball, and from there on, we were just playing our natural games.' India did fight back in the second session with four wickets, but Joe Root (53*) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (44*) ensured there were no late hiccups, stitching a 71-run stand to seal a stunning five-wicket win. The second Test begins on July 2 at Edgbaston.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: 'Let the boy play' - Former England cricketer advices Gautam Gambhir to stay away from Rishabh Pant's ear and head
India's Rishabh Pant plays a shot on day two of the first cricket test match between England and India at Headingley in Leeds, England, Saturday, June 21, 2025, (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) Former England pacer Steve Harmison has requested Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir to stay away from Rishabh Pant 's "head" and let the swashbuckling batter play his natural game. "He is third now on the all-time list of six-hitters for India. The top two are Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma. The number one hit me for quite a few," said the former England pacer on Talksport Cricket. What impressed Harmison the most about Pant is the way he built his innings. "But it was the control and then the utterly random madness of his attacks — and then he'd go back into his shell, hit a couple more sixes, and go back into his shell. Yeah, we said yesterday it's about that voice in his ear," he said. "There's a voice in his ear, and I think some people in coaching might say, 'Right, I need to get into his head and try to make him think this way or bat that way.' If you're a coach of India and you're a coach of Rishabh Pant, I'd be terrified to try to get into his head. I mean, let the boy play, let him go," he added. Citing the example of the last ball on Day 2, Harmison hailed Pant, called him a wonderful character, and explained why cricket needs players like him. "We saw last night, first ball of the last over, half past six — out of the ground for six, over 70 metres. I mean, he is box office. His celebration, everything about him is," said Harmison. "I mean, we all want characters in cricket, and characters sometimes get stifled in the modern generation because of social media and people's opinions — and everybody who has a mobile phone seems to have an opinion. "I tell you what, that character — while he's in cricket, it's a better place, because he's a wonderful, wonderful character and a wonderful player." For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
