Despite a litany of errors in the opening Test, Gill’s new-look team showed remarkable resilience and bouncebackability, defining a ferocious approach that caught England by surprise
Player of the Match Mohd Siraj (right) skipper Shubman Gill (2nd from right), pacer Prasidh Krishna and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (left) celebrate India’s win over England at the Oval, London, on Monday. Pic/Getty Images
For those fearful of the future of Test cricket, this extraordinary series which produced the most surreal of finishes must be like manna from heaven.
For 25 days, England and India produced one gripping spectacle after another, setting aside weariness and fatigue and rapidly depleting mental reserves. They overcame the unfamiliar challenge of all five Tests — themselves a bit of a rarity these days — going the distance, digging deep to discover reserves that might have surprised even themselves.
Acts of bravery
It wasn’t just about skills and fortitude. There were stunning acts of bravery — some might call it foolhardiness — from Rishabh Pant, Shoaib Bashir and Chris Woakes that showed how much the format means to the players, how passionate they are about the five-day game. When the protagonists are this committed, it is impossible for the onlookers not to be sucked into the drama and theatre of the format which, contrary to popular opinion, is holding its own despite the pull and charm of its limited-overs siblings.
For England, the 2-2 result might have felt like an opportunity lost. In various quarters, though possibly not among the players themselves, this faceoff against a new-look Indian team minus three recently retired stalwarts was viewed as a dress rehearsal before the main act, the appetiser before the main course — the Ashes showdown in Australia over the winter. Those who thought India had arrived only to offer extended competitive practice opportunities must have been taken aback by the ferocity with which Shubman Gill’s outfit, with the captain leading by example, kept coming at England.
For India too, the final outcome will trigger mixed reactions. For now, the euphoria of their nerve-wracking six-run win at the Oval on Monday will be too powerful to reflect on what might have been had they shown a little bit more composure at the crunch. The litany of batting errors in both innings and a flat, uninspired bowling performance in the final innings of the first Test at Headingley forced the visitors to play catch-up after allowing England to run away with the game despite being set a target of 371. That can be put down to inexperience, especially in a first-time skipper’s maiden foray in that capacity. But their resilience and bouncebackability, best exemplified by Mohammed Siraj, should be the perfect morale-booster as they prepare for the challenges ahead, starting with the two-Test series at home against West Indies in October.
Top batters deliver
The form of the top order must particularly delight head coach Gautam Gambhir. There were 12 centuries, including four from the captain. Karun Nair’s half-century in the first innings of the last Test meant everyone of the specialist batters made at least one fifty, though the 33-year-old will wonder if he has done enough to keep his place in the Test squad. Sai Sudharsan will get greater leeway, one suspects, as the batting unit prepares for a different examination at home, where spin will unquestionably have a greater say than in England.
Gill has ticked most boxes. How he builds on the gains accrued from England will be crucial to India’s sustained development as a Test side to fear.
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