Southampton, July 12 (IANS) Former England captain Michael Vaughan feels Joe Denly, who has been struggling for form, should make room for Joe Root when the latter returns for the second against the West Indies.
Denly could manage only 18 and 29 in the first Test against the West Indies at the Ageas Bowl. He has not passed the 50-run mark in his last eight innings. Before the Southampton Test, Denly failed to hit a single hundred in the 14 Tests that he played for ‘The Three Lions’.
On the other hand, Zak Crawley top-scored for England with 76 in the second innings of the Southampton Test.
“It’s not even a conversation,” Vaughan told BBC Sport. “You could argue that Denly was very lucky to have played 15 Test matches. There are a lot of players who have played only eight Tests and got hundreds.
“He has missed his chance and they have to stick with Crawley. I’m sorry for Denly – he’s just not good enough.”
“England have a decision to make on Denly. Crawley surely has to stay in the side,” added Vaughan.
Former captain Nasser Hussain had earlier advised Denly to change his technique in order to score big runs or else he could lose his spot in the team.
“Perhaps he can look at the example of his captain in this game. Ben Stokes has clearly tinkered with his technique, despite having the year of his life in 2019,” Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.
“He has opened up his stance and has got a big trigger movement across his stumps towards the off side. I’m not sure why he has done it, but it shows even when you are in form you can always improve your alignment.
“Denly has to believe that a tweak can be made, even while he accepts the risks that come with it,” Hussain added.
The second Test of the ongoing three-match series between England and West Indies will be played at the Old Trafford from July 16.
–IANS
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