England led from start to finish at Lord’s to take a 2-0 lead into the third Test against India.
No team has ever come back from this score to win a five-Test series since 1936-37, when a certain batsman named Don Bradman made three big centuries to help Australia do just that against England in that particular series 82 years ago.
Here is England’s report card for the series so far.
Alastair Cook
Cook has been outdone by some good bowling by Ravi Ashwin in the first Test, but at his best you can’t imagine him being dismissed bowled by an off spinner twice in one Test. He started to look good in the second Test before going for 21. He missed a sitter at slip in the Edgbaston Test that was costly before taking a nice catch to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane in the Lord’s Test.
Rating: 4/10
Keaton Jennings
Jennings is yet to find his feet at Test level. He doesn’t necessarily look out of place, but doesn’t look at home either. He looked solid in making 42 in the first Test but will want to turn starts into scores sooner rather than later. He’s worth sticking with for the series.
Rating: 5/10
Joe Root
He looked rock solid in making 80 before being run out in the first Test. He captained the team well on the last day of the first Test to help England get home. Root has won both tosses this series, but the Lord’s toss proved decisive as it allowed his bowlers first crack on a wicket with plenty of assistance. He missed out with the bat.
Rating: 7/10
(Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Dawid Malan
His catching and batting still not up to Test standard, but he hasn’t played his last Test. He will look to improve.
Rating: 3/10
Ollie Pope
He looked good and there have been worse debuts in Test cricket than this one. I wouldn’t bet against him passing 50 once or twice this series.
Rating: 6/10
Jonny Bairstow
He made runs in both Tests and has been very good with the gloves. He’s a bit of a rock in the middle order that England would love to rely on.
Rating: 8.5/10
Ben Stokes
England will find a place for him as soon as he is ready to come back. His bowling in the first Test was as impressive as it’s ever been. His fast leg cutters in the Edgbaston Test almost went through India’s middle order – he was let down by his slip cordon – and the huge wicket of Virat Kohli in the second innings virtually ended India’s resistance.
Rating: 8/10
(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Jos Butler
He failed in the first Test with zero and one. He made 24 at Lord’s, but Butler hasn’t shown that he is a Test cricketer yet. Once Stokes comes back, he will make way for the all-rounder.
Rating: 4/10
Chris Woakes
He had a superb Lord’s Test where everything he touched turned to gold. He deserved man of the match with an unbeaten century and four wickets.
Rating: 9/10
Sam Curran
A crucial knock in the second innings of the Edgbaston Test with the bat followed some big wickets in India’s first innings of that same Test. He had less effect with the ball at Lord’s but contributed more handy runs. He’s enjoying his introduction to Test cricket.
Rating: 8/10
Adil Rashid
I enjoyed his four-day tour of the Lord’s tea room. He chimed in with a few lower-order wickets at Birmingham.
Rating: 5/10
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Stuart Broad
Broad entered the top-ten bowlers of all time in terms of most Test wickets taken. He was excellent in taking 4/44 in the second innings at Lord’s after a slow start to the series.
Rating: 7/10
Jimmy Anderson
Anderson was unplayable at Lord’s on the second day after the first day was washed out. He had the ball coming out perfectly and every ball looked like it could take a wicket. He needs only ten wickets to equal Glenn McGrath as the leading wicket-taker for pacemen in cricket history. That should happen by the Oval Test, though many will predict it will happen earlier. He’s the player of the series to date.
Rating: 9/10
England are in what looks to be an unassailable position. Their bowlers have India’s top order on the ropes and the Indian batsmen don’t appear to have any answers at this point in time. England have lacked big runs from their top order, but if that clicks, it will make it very hard for the tourists to get back into this series.
The Trent Bridge Test starts on Saturday.
Beardan
Roar Guru
When Carbury came for the Ashes in 2013/14, I thought he looked ok but hardly scored a run. Look at Cook's current partner, averaging 24 in test cricket. They just dont seem to have an opener to partner Cook, let alone one to replace him. Rashid probably put on 2kgs in those 4 days eating and not playing. Could think of worse things to do! ;)
Paul
Roar Guru
Rashid could have scored style points for his table manners! All important at Lords. My point about Cook's rating wasn't trying to be nitpicking, it was to say he's not done more than the Indian openers. Your comment about Cook is also spot on. The Poms have a real issue at one & two and have little choice but to pick him. Just look at how many partners he's had since Strauss.
Paul
Roar Guru
You could say exactly the same about the deliveries that got the Indian openers as well.
Beardan
Roar Guru
Personally Neil Black if I was the England selectors I would have tapped him on the shoulder in Sydney and said, Melbourne was great mate. You've been a great servent but that will do. But I think in his favour for wanting to stay on, is there mustn't be anyone knocking on the door.
Beardan
Roar Guru
Paul, I couldnt punish Woakes for not playing the first test.He simply wasnt there to score points. So you dont get 0/10 for not playing. A 3 also would have been fair for Cook. He has struggled. Just added a bit more value than Rahul or Vijay to date. Especially Vijay. Hard for Stokes to score points from court, or Rashid to score points having lunch and tea in the long room.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
True enough
JimmyB
Guest
Your main point is correct Neil, although in Cook’s defence I would just say that the 3 deliveries that have got him out this series have all been jaffas.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
A 4 or a 3 really makes no difference to your central point - Cook has failed in his primary role of giving the order below and a platform on which to perform for years now. Never doubted his honest intent to put it right but the fact is, he hasn't. Normally you'd expect him to be dropped, but not only does he appear to be royalty in the side, there's also little obvious alternative. So we are left watching him painfully attempting and failing to play himself into Test form. Frustrating for all concerned.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think your ratings aren't reflective of players impacts on the series. Take Woakes for example. He had a 9/10 Test at Lord but a 0/10 Test in Birmingham, so his impact on the series has been about a 5/10. Ditto for Stokes, Rashid, Malan and Pope who have only had involvement in one Test. I think you were a tad generous with Cook as well. He's supposed to be the second gun bat in the side behind Root, but he's still doing nothing but watching his Test average slide, with a strong of poor scores. You could argue he got out to some good bowling, but that's what openers expect to face. I think his impact, given his importance to the batting, is no better than the Indian openers, who you rated a 3.