So here things sit at 1-1 in a five-test series between two Test nations with a very special rivalry. Experience and youth alike are shining through, the games have been fast-paced and exciting and the contest is very even. What was everyone so worried about?
Admittedly, almost no Test series have this kind of interest and intrigue and even fewer go this long, but let’s appreciate it while it unfolds and understand what we’re witnessing.
The first Test in Hyderabad was genuinely historic. After both teams had completed their first innings, England faced a fairly dire situation. Against a team who had won their last 16 home Test series – six more than any other team in history – they found themselves 190 runs behind.
Indian paceman Jasprit Bumrah celebrates a wicket. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
To put this in perspective, India had never previously lost a home Test match when leading by 100 runs after the first innings. England play an aggressive style thought to be unsuited to the conditions, and aren’t noted for their strength against spin, of which they faced plenty. They won.
Bazball won out
Many of us naturally associate the concept of Bazball with constant aggression, which isn’t too far off the mark. But there’s a component we saw in this match that is sometimes less apparent; trust. Tom Hartley was a spinner on Test debut who got destroyed by the home Indian batsmen in the first innings; we’ve seen this movie before.
The temptation of most captains in these situations is to protect their new man (and the team) and throw the ball to him less often. Hartley bowled 25 overs with a very bloated economy rate. But Ben Stokes showed faith in him.
If Hartley had been bowled less in the first innings, his incredible 7/62 in the second probably wouldn’t’ve happened. Without it, England certainly wouldn’t have won. This is the Bazball ethos; detach from a fear of failure, and you’ll be free to perform at your best. Hartley reaped those exact rewards.
The same is true for Ollie Pope. The perennially promising batsman only had 4 centuries in his previous 38 Tests and an average in the mid-30s, yet he’s still batting at number 3 in the order. England started their second innings 190 runs behind, and Pope wiped out that deficit himself, plus 6 more. Just like with Hartley, if England and Stokes didn’t trust Pope, England wouldn’t have won that match.
England batter Ollie Pope is having a great series in India. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
India reasserted their dominance
The second test was closer to what we expected in terms of result.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, like Pope before him, made a massive score in an innings where none of his teammates reached 50. On a pitch turning plenty and bouncing far more than usual in India, Jaiswal was unflappable as he almost single-handedly built the platform for India. His lofted on-drives oozed quality, and it seems India have finally found an opener for the post-Rohit Sharma era. The good news is he’s already arrived.
On the bowling front, this wasn’t the common story of most of the wickets going to the spinners, but seeing Jasprit Bumrah annihilate a batting order is no surprise. His dismissal of Stokes with a trademark yorker coming in at a wide angle, caused the England skipper to throw his bat. Bazball, it seemed, was feeling the heat.
The 396 runs accrued in India’s first innings was always likely to be tough for England to recover from, and it turned out they fell 106 runs short, with R Ashwin and Bumrah doing most of the damage to close out the match.
What happens from here?
Now we have a beautifully poised series set to recommence on February 15 in Rajkot. Two matches in and England have shown they can compete. Could they do the unthinkable and actually win a five-Test series in India, or will it be 17 home series in a row for the hosts? Let me know what you think in the comments, and check out my profile for more cricket articles.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I think England will be annoyed at themselves for playing the 3 spinners in the last Test. Shaoib Bashir had an okay Test debut, but 4 for 196 are not stellar figures. I'd have thought Ollie Robinson would have been a very interesting proposition on that track (the joys of hindsight). That said, it's not their bowling which I think they should worry about, but their batting. I'm sure Bumrah will play at least the 3rd Test and guys like Ashwin, Yadav & Patel will only get better, the longer the series goes. Jadeja was in pretty good form with the ball before his injury so if they can find the right opening partner, I'm not sure whether England can withstand the sort of pressure these guys will bring for another 3 Tests, especially when Root is in pretty ordinary form.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
India takes 10 wickets with pace - albeit mostly Bumrah. But they had a dual pace-attack at least. England's only pace option - Jimmy Anderson. At least when India load their side with slow bowlers, they are of some quality. The quality of England's even more lopsided spin attack that they defaulted to? Well....
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
For all the usual, 'England will find a way' hype, Hartley brilliant as a neophyte,Pope as a blue moon champion,Stokes brave but flawed, I feel that there will be a reversion to the mean and India,with Kohli back, will assert themselves. Anderson has a short shelf life and Bashir doesn't really impose himself. Close but no cigar. What will the next pitch be like?
whymuds
Roar Rookie
Good post, BG. I reckon, based on available players, England has more upside. Root will surely find some runs, and Pope, Crawley and Stokes look switched on and could go on to score more. The next pitch could be a turner if Bumrah is rested. But if we get decks like the first two games, England may go with two pace bowlers given the success Anderson and Bumrah had in game two. They will be stronger for the variety in their bowling attack. For India, the only way we get better is if some of our players sitting on the pine return – not a great deal of upside in the current XI. In saying all this, I reckon Patidar looked alright. His first innings dismissal was a little unlucky after playing 70 odd deliveries, and in the second innings he got one that stayed low. I like the general composure of Jaiswal, he looks different to a lot of other young guns that have come through and never amounted to anything. He got out in South Africa to good deliveries in the first test, they were very typical South African dismissals and no shame in that as a young Asian batsman. The 2nd test wicket was a shocker so might be stiff to judge any performance on that! But I am excited to see what he can produce in Australia later this year.
Linphoma
Roar Rookie
Thoughtful piece, can't wait for the next instalment. I endorse Big Gordon's opinion, more upside to the homes side's prospects, and the England win might have been a case of them "jumping" them, but now Stokes and his squad are a known quantity, Sharma and Dravid have the situation in hand, they know what they're up against. I like the looks of Shoiab Bashir, Reza Ahmed and Tom Hartley. At last. Surely England can do better than poor old Jack Leach. I always thought they selected him because they were looking for the closest thing to Nathan Lyon and they came up with the most follically-challenged candidate, a left-handed mirror image, to The GOAT.
Bandit
Roar Rookie
A rare tip of the hat to the BCCI on the decks they have rolled out as well. In the face of Bazball, it would have been easy for them produce the crumbling, rank turners that are a lottery from ball 1 to nullify Englands aggressive batting. Yes, there's been plenty of early turn, but the bounce has been fairly consistent and good fast bowlers have still taken wickets too. The pitches have been a bit of throw back to the 80's, where big scores can be made early, and it slowly gets tougher.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
England have approached this series with great intent and to date, that's worked very well for them. As you rightly say, Stokes has shown a lot of faith in the new guys in particular and the team has reaped the rewards. You made this comment about Jaiswal. "it seems India have finally found an opener for the post-Rohit Sharma era." I'm wondering what you would have written after the South Africa series where Jaisawal made a total of 50 runs in 4 innings? There's no doubt he's a genuine talent and has a heap of potential but until he plays a few more innings away from home, I'd be reserving judgement on the young fella. I'm also wondering who will partner him at the top of the order. Gill hasn't kicked on in that role and seems better suited at 3. I'm not sure whether this series is evenly poised as you suggest. England has arguably it's best XI playing and its best squad available. India is down 5 players, 4 of whom could potentially return to the side in the coming weeks. England could get Brook back, but he's untested in India, at least in Tests. If they get Kohli & Rahul back, that batting lineup looks far more formidable because both have been in very good form. If Jadeja and Shami make it back (not likely, but still), I'm not sure I can see a way for England to beat them again.