ENG vs IND 2025: ‘Fines don’t work, these lads are quite rich’ – Vaughan slams slow over-rates in Tests

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged for teams to bowl the maximum 90-over quota on all five days of a Test match. In the present Test, India bowled only 83 overs on Day 1 and 75 on Day 2, for a combined shortfall of over 23 overs over the first two days.

Michael Vaughan contended that simply penalising teams for slow over-rates is ineffective, especially when most players are affluent and unaffected by fines. He was perplexed by how teams constantly fall short of their quotas in the early stages of a Test match then manage to bowl all 90 overs on the fifth and final day.

“I do not think fines work. I assume these lads (cricketers) are pretty wealthy. I don’t think the money will affect them. For a long time, Test match cricket has struggled with this issue. I know it is hot. I understand we’ve suffered a few injuries. But when we come to the fifth day, we have to bowl 90 overs.

“I have no idea why on days one, two, three, and four, the game is played at a snail’s pace,” Vaughan told BBC Sport.

The cricketer-turned-commentator emphasised that teams should maintain the same degree of urgency throughout the five days, not only on the final day. He noted that once teams start consistently bowling the full quota of overs per day, Test matches will become lot more exciting and energetic.

“Surely the game just moves on by stating, ‘On Day 1, there are 90 overs. Guess what we are going to do. We’re going to bowl 90 overs on Day 2 precisely the same way… on Day 5, when the players and umpires know that 90 overs must be bowled, they’ll be running around, there won’t be as many drinks breaks, and there won’t be as many delays because they know that 90 overs must be bowled.” So I would keep it really simple. You must bowl the 90 overs. “I would guarantee that would improve the pace (of the matches),” the former cricketer said.

The fourth day of play promises to be a highly interesting one, as England will try to set a reasonable goal for the visitors, with the scores level after both teams’ first innings. With a couple of days remaining, a result appears to be in the cards, but there is also the possibility of a draw, keeping the series tied at 1-1 heading into the Manchester Test.