'Looks like a lovely toss to have lost' - Michael Vaughan calls out India for 'poor batting' at Headingley

England’s former captain Michael Vaughan feels that the toss at Headingley was a “lovely toss to lose”. His remark came in the backdrop of a reeling Indian team, who are in dire straits against a spirited England pace attack in Leeds after opting to bat first.

Having lost each one of his eight tosses in England before the one on August 25, Virat Kohli took little time in asking England to bowl as he flipped correctly in the third Test. James Anderson, however, would ensure that India regretted their decision immediately.

In a masterful spell of fast bowling, Anderson struck thrice in quick succession, dismissing in-form opener KL Rahul, No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli in quick succession to push India on the backfoot. Anderson struck in the very first over, nicely setting up Rahul with a series of inswingers before making the dismissal delivery hold its line. Going for the expansive drive on a fuller delivery, all that Rahul could manage was a faint edge before Jos Buttler did the required behind.

India falls like a pack of cards

Anderson struck soon, with Cheteshwar Pujara nicking him behind, while he quickly got his third as Kohli nicked him too while attempting a drive off a delivery that was pitched on a fuller length. Panting and gasping for breath, India’s tumble was very briefly halted by Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma, although Ollie Robinson had Rahane walking back as he dallied with a delivery angled away from him, only to give Buttler his fourth catch in the session.

Resuming 56/4 after Lunch, India went further down in the abyss with Robinson being joined by Sam Curran and Craig Overton. Robinson provided Buttler more business soon, as he had Rishabh Pant edging him behind before Rohit Sharma ended his 105-ball 19-run vigil with an unusual, awkward-looking miscued pull to mid-on. The 67/6 reduced to 67/7 on the following ball, with Overton getting Lord’s half-centurion Mohammed Shami caught in the slips for a golden duck.

That further deteriorated to 67/9 soon courtesy of the twin strikes of Sam Curran, who pinned both Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja lbw cheaply, before Overton brought down the curtains, getting the last man Mohammed Siraj caught in the first slip to wrap India for a paltry 78 all-out in 40.4 overs.