The Indian cricket team failed to replicate their showings from Australia in the 1st Test against England and slipped to a huge 227-run defeat in Chennai on Tuesday. The series, a part of the World Test Championship, had Indians as the favorites before it commenced, but a clinical showing from England on all five days has put the series in balance.
Here are the learnings from the first Test.
James Anderson doesn’t need conditions to shine
A lot has been spoken about James Anderson and his ability to pick up wickets only when the conditions aid swing bowling. The fast bowler’s struggles in Asia were evident in 2007-08 when he toured India and averaged 68.50 with the ball. He had a trip to forget in 2016 and then in 2018 as well, when he averaged 53.50 and 105, respectively, which put his legacy under the scanner.
However, the 38-year old has massively worked on his game in the last few years, and the results are there to be seen. He was on fire on Day 5 of the Test against India on a track that had absolutely nothing for the fast bowlers. He first got Shubman Gill with a ripper as the length ball nipped back in at the last moment to get his off-stump, and then dismissed Ajinkya Rahane in similar fashion three balls later. Rishabh Pant was his third victim of the second innings, getting the wicket-keeper with a moving ball that angled in. With it, Anderson truly proved that class is permanent.
The TV umpires have had a huge role in the say of no-balls
Ever since the ICC introduced the concept of no-balls being called by the TV umpires, we have seen the average number of No Balls in a game shoot up drastically. From January 2016 to August 3, 2020, the on-field umpires had called a total of 974 No Balls in 178 Test matches, which meant an average of 5.5 No Balls per game.
However, since the new rules were enforced from August 4, 2020, where the TV umpire will call a No Ball after watching replays, a total of 260 No Balls have been called in just 19 Test matches – a whopping 13.68 No Balls per game!
The Indians sent down as many as 27 No Balls in the entire Test match against England – their fourth-highest at home.
Cricket is a great leveler
After the Indian team scripted a win for the ages in Australia, sans their key players, it was almost expected that the same would be repeated against England as well. In Sydney and then in Brisbane, the Indians, without players such as Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami (absent for the last three Tests), Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari (the last three players only missed the last game) fought out of their skins to bat, bat and bat some more. While they managed a draw at the SCG, The Indians chased down 328 against Australia at the Gabba, with Rishabh Pant leading the way.
However, such matches are termed as “once-in-a-lifetime” for a reason. The Indian fans expected the team to bat the entire Day 5 on a track that was breaking down at Chennai after they had been set 420 for a win. It was not to be and the side should have learned that they can not rely on such come-from-behind tales on all occasions, but they should rather focus on consistent performances throughout the five days of a Test match.