MAGICAL MOMENT
Moeen snares Kohli and sparks victory charge
They seem no nearer knowing their best top order and have much to do to convince us they really are making progress. But that did not stop england clinching the most tense and thrilling series victory yesterday over the best team in the world.
While Virat Kohli was at the crease during a nail- biting fourth-day run-chase, India could dare to dream they would be able to pull off the most unlikely fourth Test victory and square this compelling contest.
yet once Moeen Ali, making an exceptional return to Test cricket, had finally got his man for 58 after Kohli had survived two tight reviews, england knew they were in sight of a highly significant series triumph.
What a fantastic, gripping Test this was and what a fillip for the great old game this series has been. This match, played out on another pitch that gave all bowlers a chance and led to absorbing Test cricket, could have gone either way over four days of twists and turns.
All eyes were on Moeen yesterday after england had sloppily wasted their last two wickets in adding 11 to their lead of 233. he may not consider himself the No 1 spinner but it was clear who was expected to bowl India out.
And the man who does not always relish responsibility and expectation could have been left frustrated by going wicketless for 16 overs in conditions that were perfect for him to add to his five wickets from the first innings.
But, with Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane having spearheaded an India recovery with a stand of 101 to leave the Test on a knife-edge after they had crashed to 22 for three, Moeen kept his head to make the decisive intervention.
Kohli appeared to have been handed an almighty slice of luck when TV umpire Joel Wilson controversially decided he had got an inside edge to a ball that had rapped into his pads when he had made just nine.
Moeen seemed to have trapped Kohli plumb in front again on 15 with one that turned viciously, but Kumar Dharmasena was proved right in his belief the ball had struck him outside the line and england had used both reviews.
No matter. There was no saving Kohli when he gloved Moeen to Alastair Cook at short leg and, with the door ajar, Moeen burst through to claim three more wickets and nine in the match.
There were two late strikes with reverse swing from Ben Stokes but the last word, fittingly, came from the 20-year-old who has done so much to inspire england in this series. Sam Curran had barely been used yesterday but he returned to have Ravichandran Ashwin lbw to spark england celebrations. They will surely not be leaving Curran, who now has four victories under his belt from his four Tests, out again in a hurry. he could well become the first man of the series dropped midway through it if he plays well at the Oval.
Make no mistake, much would have been at stake in the last Test on Friday had India got over the line here and reached the 245 england set them in a low-scoring ding-dong of a contest.
Not only would India have had the chance to become only the second team in history after Don Bradman’s Australians to come back from two down to win a fiveTest series but serious questions would have faced england. Root’s decision to move to four midmatch was bizarre and self-centred and left Moeen on a hiding to nothing after being thrust in at three. There must also be concerns over Jonny Bairstow’s frame of mind.
england knew they were juggling a hot potato when they used the excuse of a fractured finger to take the gloves off Bairstow here and they must feel now that his batting and mood were seriously affected by the decision. either
England will have to dangle a carrot to Bairstow by convincing him it really is in his and the team’s best interests for him to remain in the top order at the Oval and beyond or apply the stick and tell him to simply get on with it.
Root’s insistence he is happier at four means England will be searching for a new No 3 again unless they feel Moeen can carry the load that high, while there remain big doubts over both Cook and his opening partner Keaton Jennings.
And while the No 2 spinner — Moeen — excelled here just as he did against India four years ago in Southampton when he took eight wickets, England’s controversial call-up of Adil Rashid as No 1 has yet to fully pay off.
Rashid will surely be the spinner left out of the final Test if England want to bring in another No 3 — Rory Burns or James Vince anyone? — or recall Chris Woakes. There might also be a case to rest Jimmy Anderson or Stuart Broad.
As Anderson, who was exceptional yesterday morning in claiming Shikhar Dhawan and Che Pujara, needs just five more wickets to overtake Glenn McGrath’s world record tally for a fast bowler, it is safe to assume he would not take too kindly to a rest now.
So Moeen, in his first Test since being dropped in New Zealand after a nightmare winter, may have papered over some cracks by outshining not only Rashid but, more crucially, Ashwin here.
For now England, somehow 3-1 up with one to play despite regular top- order collapses and too much chopping and changing, will settle for that.