England continue to fluff their lines in India - Chris Waters on Cricket

IT was a year ago to the day that the former US President Donald Trump made his infamous mispronunciation of the names of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli at the same Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad where the day/night Test is being staged.
India's Rishabh Pant appeals for the wicket of England's Zak Crawley. Photo by Pankaj Nangia/ Sportzpics for BCCIIndia's Rishabh Pant appeals for the wicket of England's Zak Crawley. Photo by Pankaj Nangia/ Sportzpics for BCCI
India's Rishabh Pant appeals for the wicket of England's Zak Crawley. Photo by Pankaj Nangia/ Sportzpics for BCCI

In a speech during a rally with the India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump told the assembled 100,000 crowd: “This is the country where your people cheer on some of the world’s greatest cricket players, from Soo-chin Tendul-kerr to Virot Ko-lee.”

Cue widespread derision.

Twelve months on, it was England’s batsmen who were fluffing their lines at the world’s largest cricket stadium, Joe Root’s men bowled out for 112 after winning the toss before India reached 99-3 at stumps on day one.

Ravichandran Ashwin of India celebrates the wicket of Joe Root.  Photo by Pankaj Nangia/ Sportzpics for BCCIRavichandran Ashwin of India celebrates the wicket of Joe Root.  Photo by Pankaj Nangia/ Sportzpics for BCCI
Ravichandran Ashwin of India celebrates the wicket of Joe Root. Photo by Pankaj Nangia/ Sportzpics for BCCI
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It meant that Virot Ko-lee was the happier captain, the hosts already well-placed to go 2-1 up in the four-match series during a tour that for England is going downhill.

Certainly all the confidence engendered by a crushing 227-run win in the first Test in Chennai (Trump would probably have pronounced it Chin-Aye) seems a long time ago, with India hitting back to win the second Test there by 317 runs amid controversy surrounding England’s rest and rotation policy.

Put simply, this means that England are not fielding their strongest side in this series, primarily so that players can take part in the money-spinning Indian Premier League.

Test cricket, alas, is no longer their priority – any more than democracy was for the preposterous Trump. At least England haven’t yet claimed that the series has been stolen.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In truth, India have no need to resort to the sharp practice of the pickpocket, so superior are they at the present time.

It was felt that the pink ball and the floodlights would bring England’s pace bowlers more into the equation, which is presumably why they are fielding four of them and only one spinner, whereas India picked three spinners and two seamers.

But it doesn’t matter what the combination is if you are getting bowled out for 112 in hardly unplayable conditions, and although there was plenty of turn, most of the wickets that fell to the spinners – six to Axar Patel, three to Ravi Ashwin – came from deliveries that did not spin but instead skidded on, the seed of doubt having been planted in the batsman’s mind.

Only Zak Crawley (53) played an innings of note, England losing their last eight wickets for 38 runs in 26.5 overs either side of “dinner” as the tea interval is known during day/nightTests. Doubtless England’s consisted of humble pie.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Crawley played well before falling on the stroke of lunch, one of several lbw to the non-spinning ball.

When India bowled too straight and too full to him, Crawley not so much hit them as timed them to the boundary, using his height, reach and natural strength.

Recalled in place of Rory Burns, having missed the first two Tests with a sprained wrist, Crawley was the one big plus point on a chastening day.

Otherwise, England’s lowest first innings score in India was full of the sort of lowlights that statistic would suggest, and with the ground at around half-capacity following the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions, how the Indian crowd loved it, imbuing the occasion with their customary colour and noise.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

England, for whom the spinner Jack Leach also removed Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara with non-spinning deliveries, were left aggrieved by various umpiring decisions – not least when Ben Stokes felt that he had got his fingers underneath the ball in the slips when Shubman Gill edged Stuart Broad.

England also felt the television umpire made a right horlicks of a reviewed stumping when Leach outwitted Rohit Sharma, who finished unbeaten on 57. They might well have been right.

On a day that was nothing if not eventful, a bit like one of Trump’s speeches, Ollie Pope dropped a sitter when Kohli, on 24, edged James Anderson to gully, moments after Pope almost pulled off a miraculous catch at short-leg off Leach.

Throw in various problems with bowlers’ footholes, and England looked like a team who thought that the world was against them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click HERE to subscribe.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.