England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick has expressed his disapproval of India's tactics during the decisive fifth Test match at the Kia Oval. Tensions flared between the two teams, leading to several on-field exchanges and debates.
The contentious moments included an incident where Joe Root was visibly agitated by comments from Prasidh Krishna, resulting in Root shouting at the seamer before umpires intervened. Additionally, Ben Duckett was involved in two separate incidents, one of which involved Sai Sudharsan following Duckett's dismissal. Earlier in the day, stump microphones caught Duckett telling Akash Deep that he couldn't get him out, only to be dismissed by Deep shortly after. Deep then gave Duckett an unusual send-off, placing his arm around the opener's shoulders while offering some words.
Trescothick found Deep's send-off of Duckett particularly odd. "There is no need to walk him off in that fashion. Your job is done at that point," Trescothick stated. "I don't think I've ever seen a bowler do that after getting someone out. It was strange really".
Trescothick was seen making animated gestures in the dressing room, later explaining that he and others were amused by the events unfolding on the field. "We were chatting on the balcony. Many in my time would have just dropped the elbow on him or something quite different. I was just laughing and joking about it," he said.
Regarding Root's outburst, Trescothick suggested that Krishna had deliberately tried to provoke him. "I think they made a comment, didn't they? He (Krishna) tried to get after him and spark him up a little bit. Joe's normally the kind of guy who laughs and giggles and allows things to happen, but today he chose a different route. Today Joe bit back," Trescothick explained.
Krishna admitted that his actions were part of a plan to unsettle Root but insisted that nothing inappropriate was said. "That was the plan, but I didn't really expect the couple of words that I said to get such a big reaction from him," Krishna said. "It was a very small thing. I think it was just a competitive edge amongst us that was coming out. But I love the guy that he is, he's a legend of the game".
Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook suggested that India's tactics might have been a smart move, anticipating more similar strategies as the match progressed. Cook noted that such tactics could be effective in disrupting Root's concentration, potentially leading to his dismissal.
These incidents highlight the intense rivalry and competitive spirit between the England and India cricket teams. While Trescothick found some of India's tactics questionable, the exchanges reflect the high stakes and determination of both sides to win.