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 called for teams to be mandated to bowl the full quota of 90 overs on all five days of a Test match. In the ongoing Test, India bowled only 83 overs on Day 1 and just 75 on Day 2, resulting in a combined shortfall of nearly 23 overs across the first two days.

Vaughan argued that simply penalising teams for slow over-rates is not effective, especially since most players are wealthy and largely unaffected by fines. He expressed confusion over how teams consistently fall short of the quota in the early days of a Test match, but somehow manage to bowl all 90 overs on the fifth and final day.

“I don't think fines work. I think these lads (cricketers) are quite rich. I don't think the cash is going to affect them. (It's) been a problem for Test match cricket for a while. I know it's hot. I know we've had a few injuries. But when we get to the fifth day, we have to bowl the 90 overs. I've no idea why on day one, two, three and four we can see the game played at a snail's pace,” Vaughan told via BBC Sport.

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The cricketer-turned-commentator emphasized that teams should display the same level of urgency across all five days, not just on the final day. He added that once sides begin consistently bowling the full quota of overs each day, Test matches would become far more engaging and lively.

“Surely the game just moves on by saying, 'on Day 1 there are 90 overs. Guess what we're going to do? We're going to bowl 90 overs on Day 2 exactly the same'... you watch on day 5 when the players, the umpires know that 90 overs have to be bowled, they'll be running around, there won't be as many drinks breaks, there won't be as many delays because they know that 90 overs has to be bowled. So I'd make it very, very simple. You have to bowl the 90 overs. I would guarantee that would improve the pace (of the matches),” the former cricketer concluded.

The fourth day of play is set to be an extremely intriguing one, as England will aim to set a decent target for the visitors, with the scores standing at level after both the sides' first innings was over. With a couple of days still left in play, a result definitely seems on the card, but there are chances of a drawn fixture as well, which will keep the series at 1-1 ahead of the Manchester Test.