Reasons to be hopeful: Why series is still there to be won
Despite thrashing in Rajkot, Stokes’ side will start fourth Test in Ranchi with belief, especially if they win the toss
The ‘chump’ is batting better
Sir Geoffrey Boycott’s verdict, that Joe Root looked a “chump” when he reverse-ramped to slip – was fair but all the criticism of the mode of dismissals ignores the fact he was playing well until that point, better than at any stage since the first innings of the series. Root told friends he felt much improved at the crease after two days of nets in Rajkot before the game. He batted nicely to the close on day two and was lining up better to Jasprit Bumrah, his head was not falling over to the off side and he was defending more solidly.
The execution of the shot was off, and it became the turning point of the match. The last time Root got out playing the shot was in New Zealand a year ago, when he was also struggling for a bit of touch with his batting. In his next game he put away the ramp and concentrated instead on funnelling into his batting the good stuff from the previous Test. What happened? He made 153, bouncing back like the world-class player he is.
Bumrah to be rested in Ranchi
Reports in India say Bumrah will be rested in Ranchi. India will then recall him for Dharamsala, where the pitch is expected to be the most seam-friendly of the series. If that happens, it is a boost for Root, who has been dismissed by Bumrah nine times. Bumrah is a force of nature and while Mohammed Siraj is capable of hot spells, he is a more orthodox quick. Bumrah’s break may also be the break Root needs.
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Ollie Robinson must play in Ranchi and give England a new dimension. He has much to prove and should be hungry to succeed. He was awarded only a one-year central contract, a kick up the backside for a frustrating bowler who can go missing but has talent – he averages 22 from 19 Tests. He had a superb tour of Pakistan in 2022, with nine wickets at 21 on those flat pitches, seaming it both ways and reversing the old ball. He has spent the tour so far travelling with his new partner, recording their podcast and becoming a social media influencer. Well, it is time to influence this series.
Bazball amnesia
This team have a knack of not dwelling on failure. “Games are lost in the head and you need to park stuff like this,” captain Ben Stokes said. They beat South Africa 2-1 after an innings loss in the first Test and would have beaten Australia 3-2 had it not rained at Old Trafford. They remain committed in the field, always a good gauge of mindset, and while it may wind a few up, the messaging from the coach remains positive and consistent. It is adaptability that England need to learn, not ripping up their plans.
Top three improving
All of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope have contributed on this tour. Pope and Duckett have played the best innings of their careers and Crawley has been unlucky with the umpire’s call in the second innings of both Vizag and Rajkot Tests. Duckett may be the Alastair Campbell of Bazball spin, but he is proof of the positive effect of backing a player to play his natural game.
Results can be deceptive
Victories by 106 and 434 runs suggest India’s total domination of England in Vizag and Rajkot, but that is not a true reflection. England had their moments but undid the good work themselves – Crawley’s slog in the first innings of the second Test and Root’s ramp madness. The toss has been huge, too. England have lost both, forcing the spinners to bowl on day one and then bat last when the ball is fizzing for Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. Win the toss, bat first in Ranchi on a pitch that will spin, and England have a sniff.
Stokes could bowl
It will go against medical advice but Stokes is an impulsive man. He bowled at 100 per cent in the warmups before the final day in Rajkot and is ahead of where he expected to be at this stage of his recovery from knee surgery. If it is a turning pitch in Ranchi then he would not need to bowl many overs per innings and if he can, then it allows England to balance their attack better and even pick another spinner.
Spinners are coping
Losing the toss has been hard on the three spinners, but India have only once galloped away from them, in the second innings in Rajkot. Tom Hartley does not seem to let being hit for four affect him. Shoaib Bashir bowled well in his only Test before tiring and Rehan Ahmed has upturned the notion he is a better batsman than bowler. On recent evidence it is his batting that is more immature. Yes, India’s spinners are superior and their batsmen are just waiting for the bad ball, but England’s bowlers have exceeded expectations.
How it can change?
Before the team left home, most English observers would have taken 2-1 at this stage of the series given India’s formidable home record. It just requires a couple of tweaks to the mindset. Brendon Mccullum once scored a double hundred in India in over nine hours. It was recently the 10th anniversary of his triple century in Wellington, made over two days at a strike rate of 54. Stokes adapts to conditions, playing himself in before exploding into life later. Basically, both coach and captain batted more than one way, which is the message to the players.
Test cricket is a devilishly complicated sport. Keeping it simple is key and the secret of Bazball has been backing the players to the hilt. “Ultimately the game is about applying pressure and absorbing pressure,” Mccullum said yesterday. That is the bit they have forgotten. They just need to time their charge better.