"Twinged his back while batting" - Brendon McCullum reveals why Ollie Robinson was low on pace in IND vs ENG 4th Test

England head coach Brendon McCullum has said that no one is as disappointed as Ollie Robinson due to his underwhelming performance in the fourth Test against India in Ranchi. McCullum revealed that batting affected the right-arm seamer's back, forcing him to bowl at a lower pace.

Robinson, recalled for Mark Wood for the Ranchi Test, struggled to bowl at a good pace and failed to make a breakthrough. The right-arm seamer went wicketless in the only innings he bowled and Ben Stokes did not use him in the second dig.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, McCullum hoped to see a stronger Robinson in Ranchi and revealed how the Sussex cricketer felt most disappointed. However, the former Kiwi skipper is ready to be persistent.

"Everything he did leading into the Test match suggested we’d see not just the Ollie Robinson we’d seen previously but a better version of it. For one reason or another it didn’t quite work out for him. Obviously he’s not just as disappointed as everyone else, he’s the most disappointed out of everyone.

"He actually twinged his back while batting, which is why in those initial couple of spells he was down on pace. It’s a tough game for him, no doubt, and he’s hurting a lot. We’ve just got to make sure we find a way to get the best out of him."

Robinson batted exceptionally well in the first innings in Ranchi, contributing 58 runs to the total. His century partnership with Joe Root helped England post 353 in the first innings.

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"It’s not a bad time to be coach of the England team" - Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum. (Image Credits: Getty)

Despite England falling behind 3-1 in the series, McCullum believes they have made progress and is optimistic of improving more in the next 18 months. The former keeper-batter added:

"There’s times in games where we haven’t quite screwed down our method just yet. We’ve lost here, didn’t win the Ashes, but we’re a better team than 18 months ago and we’ve got an opportunity in the next 18 months to do some special shit. We’ll keep chiselling away at those rough edges. It’s not a bad time to be coach of the England team."

The fifth and final Test begins on March 7 in Dharamsala.