After two intense days of the third Test match in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Lord’s, India is trailing England by 242 runs with seven wickets in hand. While the contest has lived up, the match has again brought attention to an old issue — slow over rates in Test cricket. Former England captain Michael Vaughan voiced his frustration about this problem, calling out both teams, including star players like Shubman Gill and Ben Stokes.
Missing Overs Raise Eyebrows
Over the first two days, the match has already lost 22 overs. On Day 1, India managed to bowl only 83 overs. The next day, both sides delivered just 75 overs — far below the expected 90. Vaughan, in a chat with BBC Sport, questioned why this continues to happen in Test matches despite being a long-standing issue.
‘Fines Don’t Work Anymore’
Vaughan jokingly said that fines are no longer effective because today’s players are quite rich. “These players are quite rich, so a fine doesn’t really impact them,” he said. He also noted that hot weather or a few injuries shouldn’t be used as excuses. According to Vaughan, teams should be expected to bowl all 90 overs from the very first day instead of waiting until the final day to catch up.
A Simple Fix: Enforce the Rules From the Start
Vaughan offered a straightforward solution — enforce the 90-over rule consistently from Day 1. “Why wait until Day 5 to suddenly speed things up?” he asked. He explained that when players and umpires know that 90 overs must be bowled, the match naturally moves faster. There are fewer breaks, fewer excuses, and more action.
Vaughan's solution
Vaughan believes that stricter rule enforcement, not money penalties, is the key to fixing the slow pace of modern Test matches. Making it mandatory to complete 90 overs each day, he says, will solve the problem effectively.
