Former captains assess England's 4th Test no show

'England do not make enough runs when it is flat and played poor strokes through lapses in concentration.'

England's defeat in The Oval Test against India not only exposed deficiencies in their game but also proved they are not battle-hardened or ruthlessness enough, former captains Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain said.

Joe Root's men held the upper hand in the fourth Test after bowling out India for 191 and grabbing a 99-run first-innings lead.

But chasing 368 for victory on a flat track, England went from cruising at 100 for no loss to unravelling in the final day's post-lunch session, succumbing to a 157-run defeat.

"For years we beat Australia and India in our conditions, but now we are struggling," former captain Vaughan wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

"England have to work on how to become more battle-hardened when the pressure is on."

They let India off the hook in the first innings when the tourists were 127-7 but went on to post 191. The touring side made amends in the second innings by racking up a series-high 466.

"They lack pace and variation to make things happen in flat conditions. This Test team are dependent on the pitch helping them," Vaughan said of the English attack.

"The deficiencies of England's Test team were laid bare this week in batting, bowling and fielding. They were beaten by battle-hardened opponents who know how to win the key moments.

"It started with their catching on day one, continued through their batting in the first innings before their bowling was exposed on a flat wicket over the weekend.

"I would like to know why in the last couple of years this fielding team has not improved. They continue to drop chances and should have bowled India out for 125 in the first innings," he said.

He was more critical of the batsmen and said England's 290 in the first innings was sub-par for batting-friendly conditions.

"England do not make enough runs when it is flat and played poor strokes through lapses in concentration," he rued.

Vaughan also found "lack of intent" among England batsmen.

"The run out of Dawid Malan was a prime example. If you are busy from ball one you are alert to singles but Malan was on his heels because he was not expecting that call from Hameed. That is a lack of intent. It was an insight into England's mindset. They were just batting."

The former captain also did not like the way England chose their combination for the Oval Test.

"Not that long ago England were saying they always wanted one pace bowler in the team. Why did they not go back to Mark Wood for this game? Not for the first time, they selected the team that did well the week before in different conditions. The mindset needs to change. They have to be smarter.

“I always question some of their thinking. Why did they appoint Moeen as vice-captain?  He has barely been in the side for two years. It would have been a nice little boost for (Rory) Burns, who is a regular in the side, to be made vice-captain this week on his home ground.

"It was a decision that puzzled me and perhaps put more pressure on Moeen who is still making his way back in the game."

The hosts were sloppy in the field too, spilling six catches in the match, which irked Hussain.

"Their catching has been shaky for a while now, and they can't keep having to create 26 chances in each Test because the blokes in the slips are dropping too many," he wrote in the Daily Mail.

"What they'll have learned from this game is that a lack of ruthlessness earlier in the game can come back to haunt you.

"The mistakes seem small at the time, but they all add up. It's up to England to eradicate them."