The last time India went to England, the tour was split into two. India were leading 2–1 after four Tests when a Covid-19 outbreak in the team and support staff led to an indefinite postponement of the final Test. It finally took place ten months later, and England came from behind to chase down 378 in the fourth innings. For most of the series, India were in front. But the eventual result was a 2–2 draw. India will look back on it as a missed opportunity. Had they won, they would have held simultaneous away series wins in both Australia and England. For good measure, they later drew 1–1 in South Africa as well. They would have been the first Indian team in history to hold those simultaneous results. However, a breakthrough Bazballing performance from England, led by Jonny Bairstow’s twin tons, denied India.
The rain
India might still have won the series if it weren’t for rain in the first Test at Trent Bridge. Led by Jasprit Bumrah’s nine-wicket match haul, India were chasing just 209 for victory in the fourth innings and had ended Day 4 on a solid 52 for 1, with both Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara looking confident and at ease.
The pitch had gotten easier to bat on as the game progressed, and each innings’ score was higher. India was definitely in pole position to win it, but there was no play possible on the fifth day.
The wins
England had eked out a 37-run first-innings lead at Lord’s. They were incensed, however, by Bumrah bowling a few short ones to James Anderson. The fury came out as more empty bravado than productive aggression, with the English bowlers going short to Bumrah and Mohammed Shami for prolonged periods. The result was that India went from 209 for 8 to 298 for 8, at which point Virat Kohli declared. It was shortly after lunch, and Kohli memorably told his bowlers that England should “feel hell” for 60 overs. The pace foursome of Bumrah, Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Ishant Sharma delivered, as India romped to one of their most famous wins, bowling England out in 51.5 overs.
The city of London proved to be a happy hunting ground for India on that trip, with victories at Lord’s and The Oval. The series was 1–1 heading into the fourth Test, and India stormed to victory at The Oval, pulling away in the third and fourth innings. Trailing by 99 runs after the first innings, India racked up 466. There were nuggety contributions throughout the order, but the foundation was Rohit Sharma’s 127. England were then 100 without loss, but ended up folding for 210 as India’s bowlers produced yet another masterclass.
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The defeats
In the third Test at Headingley, India won the toss and chose to bat but were rolled over for 78 as England’s pacers had their best morning of the series. India had misread the conditions, and that first-innings hole was too steep to climb out of.
The second defeat will probably sting more. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja’s centuries took India to 416. Then another collective bowling performance gave India a 132-run lead, despite a Bairstow century. India got fewer in the third innings than they looked good for, but still, a target of 378 and five sessions remaining meant they were firm favourites to win the match and the series. That’s when the Bazball effect hit them like a whirlwind. England got there in just 76.3 overs, scoring at just under five per over. India was without a Covid-hit Rohit. It was Bumrah’s first Test as India captain, and it seemed like it would be a fairytale debut — until it wasn’t.
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The lessons
What worked for India was hunting in a pack, both while batting and bowling. Naturally, some players performed better than others, but there was a collective contribution that kept India on top. They found individuals to stand up at various key moments. That is, in fact, what wins series, especially away. They are rarely won on the back of one or two men carrying the rest with superlative shows.
The series also showed that when Bazball clicks, it can be unstoppable. History has shown that it doesn’t always come off — but it might be wise to alter tactics to non-traditional Test match ones if you sense it’s a Bazball kind of day: go more defensive, deny runs, and disrupt their rhythm.
If India can do these two things well, they could yet come away with the series win that eluded them on the last tour.
