3rd Test: Shastri questions risk-reward ratio on Brook's dismissal

London, July 13 (IANS) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri felt Harry Brook's dismissal to Akash Deep while trying to sweep him on day four’s play in the third Test at Lord’s was a nothing shot, adding that the risk element associated with it was huge.

On the third ball of the 22nd over, after scooped Akash for two fours and lofting him for a six, Brook went for an aggressive pre-mediated sweep, but his middle stump was knocked back and uprooted, as his counter-attacking knock came to an end on 23 off 19 balls.

"Brook can be destructive - the impact he wanted to make with those two reverse sweeps, he did that. But I think he is too good a player to put his wicket at risk at that stage of the game. It was a nothing shot. He was only going to get one run even if he connected. The risk element was huge," said Shastri on Sky Sports’ broadcast during lunch break.

Stuart Broad, former England fast bowler, felt Brook should have settled himself down at the crease before going for that ill-timed sweep off Akash. "His mindset is 'if I can go and get 60 or 70 off however many balls on this surface, I can create a bit of panic and put my team in a winning position'.

"There were two brilliantly executed scoops and he then got the field change he wanted, but it was a clever field change moving fine leg finer. He had almost got India were he needed them to be. Now settle in and play. Make them bowl you a good ball. That is how I feel," he said.

Brook’s fall came in a rip-roaring morning session, where India made use of the new ball yet again to leave England in trouble at 98/4. Broad thinks the rest of England batting line-up needs to ensure they set India a target of 220 for keeping themselves in contention of a win.

"It was exhausting, wasn't it?! Brilliant to watch. I thought India started beautifully with the ball, great intensity, which we always thought was going to happen after last night's over. That galvanised India with the energy and togetherness but England have fought hard, fought back at times. With that sort of bounce on the pitch, if I am an England bowler, I am thinking 'get me 220 and I am in the game'," he said.

Asked on how England should bowl with the new ball, Broad stated, "You go 'Sorry, Chris Woakes, I know your record is fantastic here but you are going to start from the Pavilion End and target the stumps'. Jofra Archer can then charge in from the Nursery End, hit the pitch as hard as he can and get the uneven bounce."

"If you run in as a tall bowler hitting the pitch with a brand new ball, the batters' stomachs go. So you give the ball to Archer to bowl 92mph and just hope in the first 20 balls that four grab a glove and you get some wickets."

--IANS

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