Delayed Declaration
England may look back at Rajkot Test as - it was there best chance of winning a test match on this tour. England won the toss, scored around 500 and took the vital lead but the less time in fourth innings meant that, they have to settle with a draw - a kind of perfect test match for England, but a game one wants to win. England didn't scored quickly in 3rd innings (of the match) to give their bowlers a chance to pick 10 wickets. In fourth innings, they took 6 Indian wickets in 49 overs. In hindsight, they may have thought, had they given India more time to bat in fourth innings, the result could have been different. A more audacious approach might not only have given them a test win but also requisite momentum in long drawn 5-match test series.
The Rotation Policy
In Rajkot when pitch offered "nil" for bowlers to exploit, Chris Woakes was pick of bowler among the teams. He constantly troubled Indian batsmen by bowling impeccable lines and with the use of bouncers (centurion Pujara was hit thrice on head by Woakes Short ball that tailed in lately). Woakes though picked up niggle but was declared available for selection in Vizag. Cook stated at toss that Woakes will be rested due to "rotation policy". On return in Mohali he didn't looked the same bowler - due to loss of rhythm. Rotation Policy on such an important tour?
Under-Bowling Moeen Ali
The way England have used Moeen Ali is contentious. Distinctly, Ali is part of England team due to meager resources in spin bowling department - but a spinner England have been investing in and someone who is their first choice spinner since the retirement of Graeme Swann. In Vizag, Ali was not given bowling duties until 38th over (after both Rashid and Ansari) and till then both Virat and Pujara were well set. Was it because both batsmen were right-handers? Same Ali picked 19 Indian wicket in 2014 Pataudi Trophy. More bizarre because Ali puts more revs on bowl than his other English counterparts. When he was trusted on day-2 of same test he yielded England 3 wickets. England and Cook didn't took their lesson from it. In Mohali, Moeen bowled only 10% of England overs across the innings. England could and should have used him more wisely and judiciously.
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