India's faced with the Edgbaston barrier and other questions

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

London: Edgbaston in Birmingham, the car-manufacturing hub in England's west Midlands, is where India will play the second match of the five Test series. In their eight appearances at this venue since 1967, India have lost seven times – amounting to a veritable crematorium of Indian cricket. The only occasion when they held a whip hand – in 1986 – the temperamental English weather denied them victory. India speahead Jasprit Bumrah could be rested for the second Test between India and England starting at Edgbaston on July 2 (AP)
Whether by design or not, the first Test at Headingley and the upcoming one were potential hurdles for India's comparatively unseasoned top-order batters. In the event, the feared cold and cloudy weather of Leeds was overtaken by glorious sunshine and a relatively placid pitch. This presented India a golden opportunity to extend their triumphs here of 1986 and 2002, which they squandered.
Yashasvi Jaiswal replicated his feats in the West Indies and Australia by recording a century in his first Test in England as well, though his catching resurfaced as a matter of concern. Shubman Gill, unhindered by the task of captaining India for the first time at the highest level of the game, dismissed his previous average of 14.66 in England with an untroubled hundred. Rishabh Pant, notwithstanding his high risk shot-making, blazed to centuries in both innings with the speed of his eyes and willow.
Yet, India disappointed in the bowling department, where they were expected to excel – spearheaded as they are by presently the planet's most unplayable paceman, Jasprit Bumrah. They ran out of steam in the decisive fourth innings as England for the second consecutive Test against India at home comfortably chased down 370 plus. The Indian attack was almost the same at Edgbaston in 2022 – when England breezed to 378/3 to win - bar Prasidh Krishna replacing Mohammed Shami.
In the once industrial suburb of Headingley – it would metamorphose into a batting paradise on a sunny day – Australia in 1948, inspired by an unbeaten 173 from Don Bradman, accumulated 404/3 in the final venture to post a win. The record remained unsurpassed until 28 years later when India subdued it by compiling 406/4 at Port of Spain.
The reversal earlier this week meant back-to-back defeats at a venue where in 1952 India endured the ignominy of being zero for four in the face of Freddie Trueman, a fiery barrel–chested coalminer-cum-fast bowler on his debut. Only Vijay Manjrekar and Vijay Hazare, with 133 and 89, could cope with him.
Fifty years on, that bitter memory was wiped clean when India amassed 628/8 in initially challenging batting conditions at the same stadium, before spin twins Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh delivered the coup de grace.
Left-arm Ravindra Jadeja, the front-line spinner in the Indian XI in the just-concluded match, failed to accurately target a rough outside the left-hander's off-stump on the fifth day, thereby licensing Ben Duckett to plunder runs. Besides, a paltry four overs of bowling in IPL outings as a build-up to the Test was not appropriate preparation. The Indian bowlers' lack of penetration in the second innings, Bumrah not excluded, called into question their Test match fitness.
In County championship fixtures at Edgbaston this season, either the quicker bowlers have dominated or games have been high scoring; until earlier this week, when spinners came into their own. The present forecast, not to be taken as gospel, predicts dry weather for the duration of the Test, but cool temperatures. A stage for seamers to flourish, though a quality spinner too can thrive, as Ravichandran Ashwin demonstrated in 2018 by emerging the most successful bowler on either side.
Where India, bookmakers' underdogs in the series, had ample chance of upsetting the applecart in the opening encounter, they now have headaches aplenty before the next clash starting on July 2. Does Bumrah need to rest? If, though, endurance is an issue, only more bowling will restore stamina.
Neither Mohammed Siraj nor Prasidh is able to swing the ball away from middle or off-stump. In England, they cannot overly bank on reverse swing either. Prasidh in particular would do well to adhere to a good length as English wickets are rarely hard enough for regular bouncers. In contrast, Arshdeep Singh is an orthodox mover of the ball in the air, albeit at lesser pace. It's an unenviable conundrum.
A threat of reshuffles unsettles a squad, as it did in Australia last winter. After his promising performance Down Under, allrounder Nitish Reddy looked no worse than Shardul Thakur as a bowler in the Indian A outings that preceded the Tests, and distinctly better with the bat.
Historically, England, more accustomed to finger spin, have struggled against wrist spin. Kuldeep's second coming, with a superior variety of flight and faster deliveries, not to mention a more controlled googly, renders him a weapon worth unleashing.
The Indian batting is, admittedly, in transition. However, rather disturbingly, India have lost seven of their last nine Tests. So, if Gautam Gambhir doesn't speedily gain control, his continuance as head coach would, arguably, begin to look partisan.