England batter Harry Brook continues to face criticism for his “smog” remark following England’s struggles in the first T20I against India. His form has dipped throughout the series, and former England captain Michael Vaughan and Indian spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin have taken subtle jabs at the young cricketer.
Brook’s Struggles Against Spin Continue
Brook has found it difficult to score runs in the ongoing T20I series, particularly against India’s spinners. In the series opener, he was dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy for 17 runs, followed by another failure in the second T20I, where he was bowled by Chakravarthy for 13. The trend continued in Rajkot, where Ravi Bishnoi outfoxed him for just 8 runs.
Vaughan’s Sly Dig at Brook
After another disappointing outing in Rajkot, Michael Vaughan took to X (formerly Twitter) to mock Brook’s earlier excuse for England’s struggles against spin.
“Is it smoggy in Rajkot?” Vaughan posted, referencing Brook’s comments about poor air quality making it difficult to pick Chakravarthy’s deliveries.
Ashwin Joins the Banter
Indian spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last year, responded to Vaughan’s post, further adding to the lighthearted banter surrounding Brook’s form.
Brook had previously attributed England’s difficulty in picking Chakravarthy’s deliveries to the smoggy conditions in the first T20I.
“Chakravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. He is tough to pick, and actually, with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to see the ball. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here so we can see the ball better,” Brook had said before the second T20I.
Ashwin Praises Adil Rashid’s Stunning Delivery
Ashwin also took a moment to praise England’s leg-spinner Adil Rashid for his brilliant dismissal of in-form Indian batter Tilak Varma in the third T20I.
On the final ball of the eighth over, Rashid bowled a beautifully tossed-up delivery outside off. Tilak Varma, trying to create room for a shot, was completely deceived as the ball gripped, turned sharply, and crashed into the stumps. Rashid celebrated with a fist pump, knowing he had taken a game-changing wicket.
“Absolute seed. Scrambled seam and serious side spin. Top bowling, Adil Rashid,” Ashwin wrote on X, acknowledging Rashid’s skill.
This was Tilak Varma’s first dismissal in five T20I innings, following a remarkable run in which he scored 336 runs across his previous unbeaten outings.
India Falls Short in the Run Chase
Despite a target of 172 runs, India struggled on the slow Rajkot pitch and managed only 145/9. England’s bowlers, led by Jamie Overton (3/24), Brydon Carse (2/28), and Adil Rashid (1/15), put on an impressive display to keep the series alive.
India had won the first two matches in Kolkata and Chennai by seven and two wickets, respectively. The series now moves to Pune for the fourth T20I on Friday, where India will look to bounce back and seal the series.
