Zak Crawley is consistent – now he must become greedy

Zak Crawley is threatening to do what England’s kingpin coach Brendon McCullum never thought he could: become a consistent Test opener.

“He’s never going to be a consistent type of cricketer,” McCullum said, not long after taking the job in 2022. “He’s that dynamic that he’s not going to be consistent. But when he has his day, he’s going to win matches.”

McCullum spent much of his first year in charge justifying England’s persistence with Crawley despite the lows of averaging 10.8 in 2021, often in language that was anathema to his team’s fans, who were accustomed to steady openers like Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss. “The last two guys who nailed it at the top of the order in this country are both called ‘Sir’, so it’s not an easy thing to do,” observed McCullum.

But the pattern of Crawley’s output has changed – and for the better. Since the start of last summer, he is averaging 52 in eight Tests. In that time, has been dismissed below 20 just twice. Since he was united with Ben Duckett in December 2022, England’s opening stand is averaging 49 in 13 Tests, and at an unprecedented lick. It is quick, consistent scoring: in their last seven innings together, they have failed to put on 40 just once. This from an England team who spent a decade being 20 for two since Strauss and Cook’s partnership ended in 2012.

At Hyderabad, Joe Root was full of praise for the way they “set the tone” with “phenomenal consistency”. Don’t tell Baz, Joe.

Crawley played nicely in Hyderabad, but went up a level or two in his 78-ball 76 here. It was not perfect, given a diving one-handed chance was put down at midwicket when he had 17, and he turned the ball just past leg slip not long after. But his best was magnificent. There were four fours, two of them straight-driven and another pulled in front of square, in a single Jasprit Bumrah over. There were two sweetly-struck slog-sweeps, the first of which brought up his fifty. Just before that came a defensive push off Kuldeep Yadav that fizzed down the ground for four.

Crawley failed a test of temperament, though. India’s third spinner, Axar Patel, was brought into the attack with Crawley playing Kuldeep and Ravichandran Ashwin well. Crawley biffed his second ball through midwicket for four, before trying to smash his third into the stands at long-off. As the ball turned, he lost his shape, and was well caught behind square on the off-side.

On his 26th birthday, Crawley had given notice of what he needs to add to his game next. At 114 for one, Crawley was in control of the game, and India’s 396 was just beginning to look modest. The pitch was still good for batting, but was only going to get worse. The game was entering “Bumrah territory”, with the ball slightly older and the memory of his stunning spell of reverse swing in Hyderabad fresh in the mind. For India, only Yashasvi Jaiswal made it to 35, but he finished up with a match-shaping 209. Having played so well, England needed their top-scorer Crawley to turn a cameo into something more substantial. Do not wait for someone else to do the job. From the fall of Crawley, England lost nine for 139.

The fall of Crawley sparked Rohit Sharma into life, and he brought Bumrah back to bowl at Root, who he dismissed in Hyderabad and had picked up seven times in Test cricket, making him his most common victim. In another thrilling spell, he accounted for Root and Ollie Pope, then four more wickets in the evening session. Crawley’s impetuousness had left the door ajar, and Bumrah barged through it.

When Crawley walked off the field, he would likely have received a pat on the back from a proud McCullum, pleased both with his development and that he no longer has to answer questions about his place in the team.

Crawley and Duckett live by the sword, and here he died by it too. He would argue that rather than waiting for a ball with his name on it (as Ben Stokes later got), he took the initiative and looked to score.

“If I start doubting myself in those situations and not backing my instincts then I revert back to the player I was a couple of years ago, really not scoring many runs for my team,” he said. “I wasn’t happy to get out when I did but I’d definitely do the same thing [again]. I was disappointed with myself, especially when the wickets fell after. But I’ll keep telling myself to back my aggressive game because that’s what got me here.”

There is sense in that, but on this occasion, Crawley took it too far. England have shown before – in the Ashes – that just because they say “that is the way I play”, it does not mean they are not seeking refinement of the approach behind the scenes. Under McCullum and Stokes, Crawley is improving fast, but there is scope for maturation yet. The consistency is coming; now to become cut-throat.