India win the fifth and last Check in three days to take the sequence in opposition to England 3-1 as Bazball is questioned once more.
India maintained their aura of invincibility at residence after finishing a 4-1 sequence triumph in opposition to England on Saturday.
The benefit of their last win might properly topic the guests’ much-hyped “Bazball” method to renewed scrutiny.
Rohit Sharma and his males clinched the sequence within the fourth Check in Ranchi however didn’t take their foot off the pedal in Dharamshala, the place they routed England inside three days.
The win, which consolidates two-time finalists India’s place on the high of the World Check Championship standings, could have a particular place within the reminiscence of Ravichandran Ashwin.
The India off-spinner claimed 5 second-innings wickets to hasten England’s collapse in his a hundredth check match.
𝙒.𝙄.𝙉.𝙉.𝙀.𝙍.𝙎! 🏆
Congratulations #TeamIndia on profitable the @IDFCFIRSTBank #INDvENG Check Sequence 4⃣-1⃣ 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/IK3TjdapYv
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2024
India’s seventeenth consecutive residence Check sequence win
England seamer James Anderson, in the meantime, turned the primary tempo bowler to say 700 check wickets, partially lifting the gloom that had settled on England’s travelling “Barmy Army” followers.
This was India’s seventeenth consecutive Check sequence win at residence, the place they haven’t misplaced a sequence since Alastair Cook dinner’s England bested them in 2012.
And so they achieved it with out batting stalwart Virat Kohli, who missed the sequence for private causes, and front-line seamer Mohammed Shami who was injured.
Batter KL Rahul missed the final 4 Assessments with damage, as properly, however India’s formidable bench power meant their absence was not likely felt.
Of the 5 Indian gamers who made their check debut within the sequence, stumper Dhruv Jurel, seamer Akash Deep and batters Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal impressed instantly.
“I just always really believe that there’s an incredible amount of talent in India and a lot of young people, young players coming through,” India head coach Rahul Dravid stated.
“And it was a great opportunity for them to step up and show how good they are, and we saw that right throughout the series.”
Defeat in Dharamshala.
Congratulations to @BCCI on their sequence victory 👏
Match Centre: https://t.co/jRuoOIp988#INDvENG | #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/aJWlyhpFoB
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 9, 2024
Duckett’s dismal dismissal
Below Stokes and head coach Brendon “Baz” McCullum, England have espoused a flamboyant, even when risk-fraught, model of cricket constructed round fearless batting.
The identical method that largely labored again residence appeared considerably one-dimensional and even reckless.
Opener Ben Duckett’s dismissal on Saturday illustrated the limitation of that method.
Having conceded a first-innings lead of 259, England had been already far behind and would have benefitted from cautious, safety-first batting to keep away from an innings defeat.
As a substitute, whether or not as a consequence of a scarcity of belief in his personal defence or an urge to impose himself early, Duckett charged ahead in opposition to Ashwin solely to overlook the ball and lose his off-stump.
The opener was thus far down the observe, he would have been stumped if he had not been bowled.
In contrast, Joe Root, who struck 84 in England’s meagre second-innings 195, confirmed how touring batters can mood their aggression to grasp spin in India.
Stokes stood by his facet’s total method, nevertheless, and was of the view {that a} good offence was the very best defence in opposition to the wily residence spinners.
“When India get on top, especially with the ball, they get a lot of men around the bat and with the quality of their [spin] bowlers … you’ve got to find ways of getting rid of those close fielders,” the all-rounder defined.
“You’ve just got to be positive enough to take that risk, accept that it may lead to your downfall. But when the intent is there and you have a clear reason as to why you are playing that shot, you can hold your hands up and accept it.”