Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja’s defensive masterclass on a wearing surface at Manchester is akin to Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin battling their physical demons for a sensational draw at Sydney in 2021
Ravindra Jadeja (right) celebrates his century with Washington Sundar during their unbeaten 203-run stand on Sunday; (right) Hanuma Vihari (right) helps R Ashwin with his chest guard during their unbeaten 62-run stand at Sydney in 2021. Pics/Getty Images
This wasn’t quite Sydney 2021 reprised. There was no dodgy hamstring (Hanuma Vihari) to contend with, no tetchy back (R Ashwin) to overcome. But that didn’t make Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja’s fierce, combative rearguard action any less celebratory.
Vihari and Ashwin had battled their physical demons, huge pressure and Australia’s best for nearly 43 overs to steer their side to a sensational draw in the third Test, the precursor to a famous, unparalleled chase of 328 at The Gabba in the next game which gave India a second successive series triumph Down Under.
Similar survival scenario
At Old Trafford on Sunday, Washington and Jadeja were tasked with something similar if India were not to surrender the Test series against England with a match to play. United just before lunch on Day Five with India needing 89 more to avoid an innings defeat and having to bat three hours, at the very minimum, to stave off defeat, the two lefties put on a masterclass in defensive batting on a wearing surface, reducing England to petulant wrecks when the fourth Test ended with India fashioning an honourable stalemate.
No. 5 — Washington had never batted that high in 21 previous Test innings — and No. 6 kept Ben Stokes’s men at bay for more than 55 overs; as a pair, they ran down 218 minutes. They thwarted Stokes and Chris Woakes, they blunted Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, they negated Liam Dawson and Joe Root. They were both immovable objects from the time Root put Jadeja down first ball. England, gung-ho after evicting overnight pair KL Rahul and skipper Shubman Gill before lunch, were driven to their knees, their cup of woe brimming over when Washington became the third centurion of the innings, and the day, making it the first time that India’s Nos. 4, 5 and 6 had all made a hundred in the same Test innings.
India’s 425-4 came at a majestic 2.97, and even that was only because Harry Brook leaked 24 in three overs. By occupying the crease for 143 overs, they have left England with sore, protesting, tired bodies, and minds fried and addled. In four Tests, India have faced 894.2 overs — roughly 224 overs a match, 112 overs an innings on average. Stokes (140) and Woakes (167) have already bowled more overs in this series than they ever have previously. Brydon Carse, the other pacer to have played all four Tests, has sent down 155 overs. Replacement spinner Dawson was saddled with 62 overs at Old Trafford, 47 of them in the second innings. And even though he was only playing his second match of the series, Archer (88.3) seemed to be running on empty for much of Sunday’s final day.
England driven to fatigue
What India have done by batting time — Lord’s second innings apart, India’s lowest completed total is 358 — is drive England to physical and mental fatigue, necessitating them to regroup quickly before The Oval Test starting on Thursday. There will be fresh faces and fresher legs, sure, but not necessarily the hosts’ first choice, and therefore best, attack. Therein lies the chance to end the series with honours shared. Assuming, of course, that India pick
their bowling unit with commonsense and intent.
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