During the second day of the fourth Test between England and India, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri did not hold back his criticism of the Indian pace attack, specifically calling out Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Anshul Kamboj for their lackluster performance. Shastri, who was on commentary during the session, expressed his disappointment with their bowling, especially their inability to maintain consistent lengths.
England's batting performance, particularly from openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, added to Shastri's frustration. The duo capitalized on the loose bowling, scoring at a brisk pace and establishing a century stand. Shastri noted that the Indian bowlers frequently overpitched, failing to exploit the conditions effectively. He went so far as to describe some of the deliveries as "rubbish," highlighting their inconsistency and the number of boundary balls conceded.
Shastri suggested that the bowlers could expect "harsh words" from head coach Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel during the tea break. When asked if he would have used the same strong language as head coach, Shastri implied he might have been even more direct, possibly using local expressions to drive his point home more forcefully.
Despite pre-match expectations of bowler-friendly conditions, India's pacers struggled to make an impact. Shastri emphasized the importance of consistency and hitting the right areas, which he felt were lacking in the performance of Bumrah, Siraj, and Kamboj.
Earlier in the day, Shastri had praised India's performance in the first session, highlighting the "right mix of caution and aggression" displayed by the batsmen. However, the subsequent bowling display clearly did not meet his expectations, leading to his critical remarks. While he acknowledged that conditions were challenging, he felt the Indian bowlers could have performed better by maintaining better discipline and exploiting the available movement.