NEW DELHI, Mar 7
BCCI president Roger Binny on Thursday said that England skipper Ben Stokes as well as the team was responsible for their downfall in the ongoing Test series as well as in the 5th and final Test in Dharamsala.
“Well, the captaincy of Ben Stokes so far he has been more aggressive, and I think that has been the (reason for their) downfall in the few Test matches,” Binny said to agencies.
Talking about the England team’s performance in the 1st Day of the 5th Test match, Binny said that the Three Lions were the only ones to be blamed for their collapse from 100/1 to 218 all out.
“I think England have themselves to blame for the situation they are in at the moment. I think they started well in the morning, they looked as if they would put up a fighting score.So far, it has been India’s day. They have been batting well also so far and I think the Test series has been very one-sided after the first Test that England won.
From then onwards, the Indian team has done well and it has dominated the series,” the 68-year-old, who has 27 Tests and 72 ODIs under his belt, said.
“Being so aggressive and trying to take on the Indian spinners in difficult times (situations) rather than hanging around and trying to make a big score,” he added.
On the other hand, the BCCI president also lauded the patient captaincy of Rohit Sharma in the series.
“Rohit Sharma again has been very tactful. You know he knew exactly what he wanted to do and he got his bowlers to do that. I don’t think England changed their strategy.
They went on the same attacking mode like what they did in the first Test match. But, I think, Rohit was more patient because he had the first Test in his pocket at one stage and then he let it go. He was patient enough in the next two Tests and won both,” he said.
