By News18
Former England international-turned-commentator David 鈥楤umble鈥 Lloyd was not pleased with the Indian team鈥檚 multiple breaks during the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Edgbaston, saying his mates hadn鈥檛 bought the tickets to 鈥榳atch the grass grow鈥. He pointed at Ravindra Jadeja taking two breaks and even urged the ICC to make a rule where a 鈥榥ew batter鈥 would come in if one on the pitch is injured.
India dominated the proceedings on the second day of the Test. Shubman Gill鈥檚 double-century led them to 587/10 before the pacers reduced England to 77/3 at Stumps. Jadeja played a key role for the visitors, scoring 89 (137), and drew some more-than-usual attention from Ben Stokes and Co. for his on-pitch antics.
鈥淥nly 15 minutes into the second morning, Jadeja stopped the game, had a drink and took a couple of pills, after being struck on the hand,鈥 Lloyd wrote in his column for the Daily Mail. 鈥淎fter 40 minutes, he took another break. The umpires appear powerless. No wonder we keep losing overs. Surely, the officials should exercise their authority or have a directive from the ICC that any injury be treated off the field while a new batter comes out. Keep the game moving. Get on with it. My mates in the Eric Hollies haven鈥檛 paid 拢85 (around INR 9,900) to watch the grass grow,鈥 he added.
Stokes was particularly unhappy seeing Jadeja step into the 鈥榙anger zone鈥 of the pitch while batting and complained to the umpires several times. Lloyd took it on a lighter note, saying he鈥檇 have done the same.
鈥淚 was so interested watching the histrionics of Ravindra Jadeja, the experienced street fighter of this India team, during the morning session,鈥 Lloyd added. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to be bowling last on this pitch, and he obviously wants something to aim at, so nearly every other delivery in his innings of 89, he was down the pitch, banging it with his bat, scratching about with his feet. This is a very dry pitch, and it will spin big time later in the game. Well done, Ravi. I鈥檇 have done the same.鈥
The Edgbaston pitch has behaved like a flat road so far but Jadeja would hope to get some turn out of it on the last two days.