Trisha Ghosal in London
Injury replacements? “Test cricket doesn’t need fixing”
England’s lead batting coach Marcus Trescothick believes the purity of Test cricket should not be tampered with, even as debates continue around allowing replacements for injuries like dislocations and fractures. Speaking after a gripping day’s play at The Oval, Trescothick stood firm on preserving tradition.
“It’s a good question, and I know there’s been plenty of media discussion around it,” he said. “But personally, I think we tinker with the game too much already. Test cricket has stood the test of time. I wouldn’t change anything at the moment.”
His comments come just days after conversations reignited around whether a player with a serious injury, like a broken bone, should be replaced mid-match.
“It was just chat”: On Root’s rare burst of emotion
Trescothick also downplayed the on-field exchange involving Joe Root and Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna, where Root was visibly agitated, something rarely seen.
“It was nothing out of the ordinary,” Trescothick said. “Just a bit of chat, what you’d normally hear during a competitive game. Joe might’ve reacted a bit differently than usual, but it wasn’t anything serious.”
He also commented on the much-discussed moment where a bowler put his arm around a batter after dismissing him. “It was different, yeah,” he laughed. “Back in my day, players might’ve dropped an elbow or something else entirely. But this was light-hearted.”
“No fatigue excuse”: On dropped catches and England’s slip standards
Despite a couple of costly dropped chances late in the day, Trescothick refused to blame tiredness.
“We pride ourselves on being sharp, especially in the slips,” he said. “It just didn’t happen today. We all know how important those moments are. But no, I don’t think that’s down to fatigue. These things just happen in cricket.”
A day for Thorpey
With Root and others wearing white Graham Thorpe headbands, The Oval paid tribute to one of England’s most-loved cricketers. For Trescothick, it was personal.
“He’s deeply missed,” he said of Thorpe. “But he’s still so highly regarded. Hopefully, it was a meaningful day for his family.”
“Evenly poised” and a pitch with life
Assessing the match situation, Trescothick said the Test remains in the balance. “We’ve seen plenty of wickets but also good batting. It’s evenly matched,” he said.
On the pitch: “There’s more pace, more seam. It’s what we like. Challenging, yes—but good for cricket.”
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