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A compelling series kept giving right until the very last ball as James Anderson sealed England's 118-run victory over India with a wicket that made him the most successful fast bowler in the history of test cricket on Tuesday.
Audacious centuries from KL Rahul (149) and Rishabh Pant (114) had given India hope of saving the fifth test and even reaching the target of 464 that was required for a remarkable victory, but the day eventually belonged to England.
While India ended up losing 4-1, the only Test they were outplayed in was at Lord’s where they struggled on a green top. Factors that went against India were poor selection, above average batting, and the inability to capitalize on winning moments. The fourth Test where England were six wickets down for less than 100 is a prime indication of this.
England, too, played similarly to India. They dominated one out of five Tests – the one at Lord’s; India dominated Trent Bridge. Apart from that, the other three matches could have gone either way, but England was better when it came to lower-order batting, and ensuring that India didn’t forge too many partnerships.
Keeping these in mind, here are the hits and misses for Virat Kohli and his men
1. The opening conundrum
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India went to England believing that they had a balanced side. They return with their order in shambles, starting with the openers. Murali Vijay looked horribly out of form, while Shikhar Dhawan tried hitting every ball through the covers only to nick them behind the wicket. KL Rahul made up for his starts by scoring a brilliant century in the final Test, but he will need to do a lot more to ensure his position in the side is secure. Maybe it’s time to look at Prithvi Shaw and some young blood to give the seniors something to think about. - AFP
2. Middle order woes
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The only good thing that came out of India’s batting was skipper Virat Kohli battling his 2014 demons to score runs on this tour. The first century i.e. the 149 he made at Birmingham was one of the best we witnessed. He learnt from his mistakes by playing with soft hands, but the same can’t be said about the others. Pujara was brilliant when he made 135, but otherwise – including the time he made his 70-something, he looked scratchy and in need of some confidence. The biggest disappointment, however, was Ajinkya Rahane whose form may cost him a place in the 11. The confidence drop began in South Africa, despite him playing that match-winning knock, but has haunted him on this tour. Maybe he’d want to go back to basics and visit Praveen Amre on his return home
3. A good fast-bowling unit
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Despite Bhuvaneshwar Kumar’s absence during this tour, the Indian pacers were phenomenal. They troubled the batsman all the time, with pace, swing and bounce. Ishant Sharma looked close to the 19-year-old who dismissed Ricky Ponting; Mohammed Shami was bowling fast and accurately; and Jasprit Bumrah was skiddy (although he’d want to take care of the no-ball issue). Hardik Pandya may have failed with the bat, but his five-wicket haul at Trent Bridge gave India the victory, although Kohli was man of the match for his 96 and century in the same game.
4. A wicketkeeper that can be groomed
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Rishabh Pant has been the talking point ever since we watched him bat in the Indian Premier League. He began his Test career with a six, and his century in the final Test will help us forget the horrible series Dinesh Karthik had during the first two games. Unfortunately for Karthik, this will probably be his final chance to ever where whites again. Wriddhiman Saha, who is India’s first choice keeper in the longest form, will also have to focus on several factors and given that age is not on his side (he is 33 years old, as opposed to Pant’s 20), he has a huge task ahead of him - Reuters
5. The spinner fix
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Ashwin began the series well – getting Alastair Cook with an identical ball in both innings of the first Test, but then an injury prevented him from getting the required zip. Added to that, Ashwin chose to play with an injury in the fourth Test, which probably cost India the match. He bowled terribly in both innings, struggling to even turn the ball, while his counterpart Moeen Ali, who is usually a part-time spinner was making the ball talk. Maybe if he put the team ahead of his place, the result could have been 3-2 (either way) and not 4-1. Having said that, selecting Kuldeep Yadav for Lord's was a tactical disaster, which would hamper his confidence. India, too, would realise Ravindra Jadeja's value in the side
