Thanks to masterly batting by skipper Virat Kohli and spinning all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, India won the Test series against England 3-0 with the final Test starting in Chennai on 16th December.
After the first Test in Rajkot was drawn, India won the next three convincingly; the second at Visakhapatnam by 246 runs, the third in Mohali by eight wickets and the fourth in Mumbai by an innings and 36 runs yesterday.
England started the Mumbai Test promisingly, totalling 400 runs with their opening batsman Keaton Jennings scoring 112 in his Test debut and middle order bats Moeen Ali (50 runs) and Jos Buttler (76) contributing handsomely.
India’s spinners took all ten wickets; Ashwin (6-112) and Ravindra Jadeja (4-109). Their batsmen’s response was as usual – in India whatever England can do, we can do it better. And better they did.
England’s spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali were impressive on a turning track but the Indian batsmen smothered the spin much better than their English counterparts.
So much so that they amassed 631 and led by 231 runs. Opening batsman Murali Vijay (136 with three sixes) and Kohli added 116 for the third wicket.
India lost their seventh wicket for 364, still 36 behind England’s total. And we thought we had a match on our hands as India had to bat on the last day in the second innings.
But Kohli was still there and he added a further 241 runs for the eighth wicket with Jayant Yadav, selected as a spinner and playing only his third Test. Kohli (235) and Jayant batted majestically as if saying, “Where is the spin menace?”
Trailing by 231 runs, England’s reply was weak, losing opener Jennings for a duck.
He became the fourth batsman to score a century and a duck in his Test debut. The others were India’s GR Viswanath (0 and 137 v Australia, 1969), South Africa’s Andrew Hudson (163 and 0 v West Indies, 1992) and Pakistan’s Mohammad Wasim (0 and 109 v New Zealand, 1996).
It seemed England would lose by an innings on day four but Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow batted aggressively and the Test went on the final day.
Disappointingly, they lost the last four wickets for only 13 runs – all to the spin variations by Ashwin – and India was victorious by an innings. Ashwin captured 6-55 to have a match haul of 12-167.
Man of the match Kohli has scored most runs in the series, 640 runs at an astonishing average of 128.00 with two centuries and two fifties. No one else has managed to reach 400 runs in the series.
Despite many heroes, the Mumbai Test belonged to Kohli, aged only 28, who set many milestones:
• Reached his 1000th run in Tests in the calendar year 2016. He has scored 1200 runs in 11 Tests so far in 2016 with three double centuries and a century. He can add to his tally in the final Test against a dispirited England next week.
• Reached his 4000th run in his 5second Test match. So far he has scored 4194 runs at an average of 50.53 with 15 centuries and 14 fifties.
• In the current Test series he has amassed 640 runs at an awesome average of 128.00 with two centuries and two fifties.
• He is only the second Indian to score more than 600 runs in a Test series in India. The other Indian to do so is Sunil Gavaskar; 732 runs (average 91.50, with four centuries and a fifty) against the West Indies in 1978-79. With one Test to go, it is possible that Kohli may break Gavaskar’s series record.
• Kohli is the only Indian to score three double centuries as India’s captain and remarkably all three in 2016; 235 runs in the just concluded Mumbai Test, 211 v. New Zealand at Indore in October and 200 v. West Indies at North Sound in Antigua in July. The four other Indians to make a double century as captains are Nawab of Pataudi (203 not out v. England at Delhi in February 1964), Sunil Gavaskar (205 v. West Indies at Mumbai in December 1978), Sachin Tendulkar (217 v. New Zealand at Ahmedabad in October 1999) and MS Dhoni (224 v. Australia at Chennai in February 2013).
How does Kohli compare as batsman with current batting greats like Australia’s Steven Smith, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and England’s Alastair Cook and Joe Root in Test annals?
In 52 Tests since June 2011, Kohli has scored 4194 runs (highest score 235) at an average of 50.53 and a strike rate of 54.90, hitting 15 centuries, 14 fifties and 11 sixes.
In 47 Tests from July 2010, Smith has totalled 4311 runs (HS 215) at 57.48 and a SR of 56.78, hitting 15 centuries, 18 fifties and 31 sixes.
In 56 Tests from 2010, Williamson has made 4648 runs (HS 242 not out) at 49.44 and a SR of 49.12 hitting 14 centuries, 24 fifties and nine sixes.
In 139 Tests from 2006, veteran Cook has amassed 10,998 runs (HS 294) at 46.60 and a SR of 47.02, hitting 30 centuries, 53 fifties and 11 sixes.
In 52 Tests from 2012, Root has made 4500 runs (HS 254) at 52.94 and a SR of 54.97, hitting 11 centuries, 26 fifties and 15 sixes.
Thus their stats are almost similar. Smith has the best batting average of 57.48, followed by Root with 52.94, Kohli with 50.53, Williamson with 49.44 and Cook with 46.60.
Pretty close, if you ask me. As captain I think Kohli is the most dynamic among his contemporaries. What do you think Roarers?
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thanks dear Roarers for your response. Now let me start another debate. How would the current great batsmen compare with last decades' heroes. How would Smith, Kohli, Root, AB de Villiers, Warner and Williamson compare with recently retired maestros Tendulkar, Ponting, Lara, Michael Clarke, Dravid, VVS, Pietersen, Hayden, Gilchrist, Sangakkara, Younis Khan...?
Geoff Parkes
Expert
I was remiss not mentioning David in my article yesterday. And I had no idea he was born in Fiji until now - thanks for mentioning it. I'm an early Sunday morning golfer and for many years, on the 30min drive at 6.15am I'd have the radio on ABC News and David would come to life, on a 30 minute rotation, to update the listeners on what had happened in sport around the world overnight. He didn't just read the sports news he lived it and it was full of colour, with a bit of opinion thrown in as well. Of course all good things come to an end and I'd imagine the early starts caught up with him. The program is still going but it isn't the same.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Smith is actually the only one of the four to have a 40+ average everywhere -- every country, every continent.
nike
Guest
Only batsmen in the planet to average above 50 in all format underlines who is the boss in world cricket right now!!
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
All dues to India with England for the most not at the races. They were let down badly by their batting with the standout a substandard performance in the Mohali test on what was a very batting friendly pitch As for Kohli, while most expected him to be great at home he has been superlative. The comments by James Anderson about him might have many in agreeance but were both ungracious and disrespectful to what has been a masterful performance. It also brought a focus to Anderson who has often been viewed as 'Tarzan at home but Jane away from home' The stand out for I is Murali Vijay, a batsman on talent who is comparable to any in the test arena. It was interesting listening to some of the comments during the series from both sets of commentators about how occasionally he lacks the mindset. If he had that he would be a 50 average/30 century type bat for his game which is proficient on back or front foot translates to anywhere in the globe against any attack
Jamie H
Guest
Kersi, yes Kohli is the best captain in the world right now. And let's not get to who the best batsman is, any genuine cricket fan will tell you it's Kohli. Daylight second.
mr foxx
Guest
The key is he is always striving to improve. Only a matter of time I feel till India boss it away as well, such is the effect Kohli has on his team.
Victor Sm
Guest
Kohli's a special cricketer isn't he? Best batsman in the world, by a long, long way.
Andrew
Guest
Kohli is easily the best batsman on that list. Seriously it can hardly be debated.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
It was terrific meeting you Geoff, at the Roar Party last Thursday. You were the only person I could hear at the Party. You will make a good radio commentator, I'm sure. Unless you already are! It was an international table of five we sat at. Spiro and you born in New Zealand, David Lord in Fiji, Sheek in Papua New Guinea and I in India. And all five of us calling Australia home!
twodogs
Guest
Definitely not a 'long way' off smith there Nic. Given Kohlis ascension in test cricket of late, I reckon he'll surpass all of the candidates mentioned in Kersis' article before too long. The bloke has real guts.
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Thanks Kersi, very interesting breakdown. I agree that Kohli is the most decisive as captain, but I would think this is at least partly reflective of the confidence gained from his team playing so well, and their near invincibility at home in recent times.
Nic
Guest
Top cricketer but his stats are still a long way behind Smith Having said that, of the batsmen you mentioned, I have most confidence in the ability of Root and Williamson to score runs in all conditions due to their technical excellence
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
I see your point, Anindya re Jayant's century. Thanks. Another side light on Kohli's double ton. Interestingly, his innings of 235 runs had outscored 11 Englishmen (195 all out) in the second innings in Mumbai.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Ok so his targets (although I am sure that's farthest from kohli's mind at the moment) would be Gavaskar's 774 (most by an Indian in a 5 test series anywhere) and Weekes' number in india! Chennai will be fun if the cyclone allows for a full test match.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
You did indeed. I meant Jayant's century.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Gavaskar played six Tests to reach 732 runs in the series against West Indies. The Chennai Test would be Kohli's fifth and last in the series. Anindya, you have mentioned Bradman Hammond and Harvey among top run-getters in a series. In India the record is held by West Indian batting legend Everton Weekes who scored 779 runs at 111.28 in five Tests against India in 1948-49 with four centuries (highest score 194) and two fifties.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you, Anindya. But I did mention Jayant's heroic support for King Kohli. See below: But Kohli was still there and he added a further 241 runs for the eighth wicket with Jayant Yadav, selected as a spinner and playing only his third Test. Kohli (235) and Jayant batted majestically as if saying, “Where is the spin menace?” By end of the year Kohli could be ranked no.1Test batsman. Then India will hold four top rankings: no.1 country, no.1 Test bowler (Ashwin) and no.1 Test all-rounder (Ashwin).
DJW
Guest
Fantastic cricketer
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Nice one Kersi. Kohli is in the form of his life. I am fairly sure he will go past Gavaskar's 732 and if he gets either one or two tons at Chennai he may well end up just below Bradman, Hammond and Harvey in terms of highest runs in a 5 test series. I think you forgot to mention Jayant Yadav's chanceless century batting at No.9 , but for which, Kohli's 235 would not have happened. On current form, Kohli makes the cut ahead of his contemporaries you mention. But Smith, Williamson and Root are amazing batsmen and along with Kohli, are going to entertain us for a few years to come.