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It’s not that India has not lost badly to England before. But to be thrashed by 196 runs in the first Test at Lord’s, by 319 runs in the second Test at Trent Bridge and by an innings and 242 runs in the third Test in Birmingham on Saturday is sheer humiliation.
Especially for a side possessing master batsmen Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.
More humiliating is the fact that English opener Alastair Cook (294) outscored either of India’s innings (all out for 224 and 244).
England thoroughly deserve their series triumph and to be ranked No. 1 in Test matches.
There were many lowlights for India in this series. Let me concentrate on their hit-and-miss opener Virender Sehwag, who has hit two triple centuries and a 293 in his Test career.
But he was out first ball in both innings to register a king pair in the recently concluded Birmingham Test.
The only other opening batsmen to make king pairs in Test cricket are Clifford Roach of West Indies, Taufeeq Umar of Pakistan and Javed Omar of Bangladesh.
South Africa’s Quintin McMillan was dismissed for a king pair twice in three months in 1931-32; against Australia in Brisbane and Melbourne.
The first to make a king pair was England’s William Attewell, against Australia in Sydney, way back in 1891-92.
Among others to register a king pair is Australia’s scintillating wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist. This was against India in the Kolkata Test of 2001.
To be out for a first-ball duck twice in a Test is depressing for the batsman, whether he is a bunny like India’s BS Chandrasekhar, a crowd-puller like Gilchrist or a triple centurion like Sehwag.
Perhaps to compensate for this ‘crigedy’ (short for cricket tragedy), cricket historians have given ducks mock-precious names.
To be out first ball is a golden duck, to be out without facing a ball is a Diamond Duck. No wonder Americans find cricket difficult to comprehend!
Here are some interesting instances. In the Adelaide Ashes Test on 3 December 2010, Australia’s opening batsman Simon Katich joined an exclusive list of Australian batsmen who were run out without facing a ball. He was left high and dry by Shane Watson four balls into the game.
Watson survived an lbw appeal but took off for a risky single without consulting Katich and England’s Jonathan Trott’s superb direct hit from square leg left Katich a couple of metres short.
In this Test, a diamond duck from Katich was followed the very next ball by a golden duck from Ricky Ponting. To my knowledge this is unique in Test history.
In the same Test Australia’s Ryan Harris registered a king pair.
Two diamond ducks were registered in the 1932 Adelaide Test against South Africa. Australia’s Alan Kippax and tail-ender Hugh Thurlow were both run out for nought without facing a ball. Thurlow’s run-out cost Don Bradman a triple century as the maestro was stranded on 299 not out!
But do you know what an emperor pair is?
Kim Hughes had a horror season in 1984-85, a summer of no return and no runs either. He resigned at a teary press conference after leading Australia to two disastrous defeats against the West Indies in 1984-85.
He played the next two Tests under Allan Border, making a first ball duck and two runs in Adelaide and a pair in Melbourne, dismissed first ball in his final Test innings.
He led the rebel Australian team to South Africa in 1985-86 and was dismissed first ball in both innings for a king pair in the third unofficial test in Johannesburg.
Then going in as Rodney Hogg’s runner, he was run out first ball. Thus he went to the middle three times in one international and returned all three times first ball. This was indeed an emperor pair!
So Sehwag, your troubles may not be over, The Oval Test is looming.