Beating India in India is not a child’s play. Yes, England pulled of a heist in Hyderabad, but the high-flying visitors were brought down to earth by an inexperienced Indian side, which was without not just Virat Kohli but also Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul in Hyderabad.
Were India convincing with their win? Well, you know the answer. 3 pieces of individual brilliance — one each from Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill — helped India counter the England threat in Vizag over 4 days of another enthralling Test.
Did England miss their best chance of beating India again? Well, you know this one too. Despite misfiring batting unit and spin-bowling unit, Rohit Sharma’s men won the 2nd Test by 106 runs. The fact that England made fans believe that they were in with a chance despite having been set a 399-run target speaks volumes about the impact of Bazball, their approach that eliminates the fear of failures. However, it seems Ben Stokes and his men had Monday morning blues in Vizag as they threw away opportunities, failing to script a record chase.
Yes, Jasprit Bumrah bowled one of the greatest spells of reverse swing bowling by an Indian fast bowler in Vizag. But, what about R Ashwin? 9 wickets in 2 Tests while Tom Hartley, who made his debut in Hyderabad, has 5 more than the Indian off-spinner.
It is just a lean patch for R Ashwin or does he need rank-turners to pick up heaps of wickets? Well, we are not saying this. On several occasions, former spinners have attributed Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s incredible numbers to the nature of pitches in India. Hyderabad and Vizag were not rank-turners, but traditional Indian pitches that offer more turn as the Test match progresses.
Produced by Sachin Dwivedi.
Published By:
Akshay Ramesh
Published On:
Feb 8, 2024
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