The Oval Test preview: No Stokes, Archer for England; question mark over Bumrah – a strange series set for intriguing climax

Indian Express

2 days ago

It's been a somewhat strange series. Some in these parts consider it a thrilling affair, almost similar to the epic Ashes series of 2005 and offer as proof the denouement at Lord's in the third Test when Ravindra Jadeja watched in agony the ball trickling from the middle of Mohammed Siraj's bat onto the stumps. They also point out India's great fighting effort to get a draw in Manchester from 0/2 in their second innings, against all odds. Or the first Test in Leeds when England chased down a huge total on the last day. Or how India won the second Test without Jasprit Bumrah. Essentially, all four games have been propped up as proof of greatness for this series.
And yet, it can also be argued the other way. Because of the flat pitches and middling quality of both bowling units, the games at times have tended to move along on predictable lines until bursting open on the final day near the finish line.
At the core of this issue is England's Bazball approach. It dictates placid tracks to accommodate their attacking style of play; barring Joe Root, none of their top order can be confidently backed to do well against seaming balls with pace. Or against quality spin.
But again, this has been a strange series of last-minute twists, turns, and drama. On Tuesday, it was the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir versus the curator at The Oval. On Wednesday, when England named their playing XI, missing from the list was Ben Stokes. The captain had run too many extra miles during the series, and the body had finally given up – the shoulder strain he suffered at Old Trafford made his Oval outing risky and thus he'd be sitting out.
There was another surprise. Everyone who saw the pitch, starting with Stokes and India captain Shubman Gill, vouched that the Test would be played on a lively track. From a distance, the wicket had a uniform shade of green, the kind that makes captains pile their carts with pacers.
India would be tempted to play the world's No 1 pacer for the game. He would be an ideal weapon to intimidate a subdued England team after Manchester, playing under a new captain in Ollie Pope.
But skipper Gill gave only a short answer when asked about Bumrah. 'The wicket looks pretty green so we will see how it turns out.' Though it was pre-decided before the series that workload compulsions would see Bumrah play just 3 Tests in England, the extra game would be a tricky call.
India can claim that they have worthy replacements – since the only Test they have won was without him – but England can't say the same about their larger-than-life captain Stokes. He has been the heart, soul – also the legs and shoulders – of this team. Without him on the field, England will either have to change their philosophy or play a diet Bazball.
Like it happens with most personality cults, teams struggle when the man deciding everything for everyone isn't around. Stokes's captaincy approach is not replicable. He is known for bizarre and aggressive field positions. To take them from the drawing board to the field of play needs unflinching conviction. Will Pope do the same or come up with his own Bazball methods?
The energy Stokes brings to the field is impossible to match. This England team is used to their captain clapping wildly when leading them on the field. A hyper-active cricketer, he is all over the central square talking to players, shuffling fielders, conversing with umpires and asking batsmen to shake hands even when the game isn't over. Stokes has aura and authority. Like it happened at Lord's. Jofra Archer wanted the cover to go deep, the skipper didn't think so and he prevailed without any discussion.
There is a certain buzz around Stokes, he keeps the team on its toes. Pope will have a tough time being Stokes. Plus who will England lean on when the shoulders are dropping? Stokes would take the ball in his hand and bowl those inspired 10-over spells in search of breakthroughs. In most games, he has been able to do so. Pope can't do the same. But wants to have a mind of his own, and not be Stokes. Will England then be playing Bazball?
Indeed, this has been a strange series. Both teams think that this is a series they should have won by now. England come to The Oval with the trauma of not winning a game that they seemed to have sealed around lunch on Day 4 in Manchester. India also have the angst of letting their advantage slip in Leeds and being so near to win at Lord's, adrift by a mere 22 runs. England's wounds are fresh and the turnaround between the fourth and fifth Test too is very short. Under Pope, they have to regroup, readjust and recalibrate their plan.
For India things are easier. They finally look like a settled side. After the draw in Manchester, there were too few questions to Gill about India's obsession with playing all-rounders. Briefly the perennial question of Kuldeep Yadav too cropped up. But again it was not an urgent inquiry and sounded like a formality that had to be completed.
On what is set to be the first green pitch of the tour, the meanest pacers – Bumrah and Archer – are unlikely to be in the playing XI. This is a strange series. England seems to be groping in the dark, and India sees light at the end of the long tunnel.