ENGLAND BATTLE
ENGLAND may win this game, and with it the series, but only after the confusion over their batting line-up was laid bare by an extraordinary change of plan during the fourth Test in Southampton.
Thanks to another mature innings from Jos Buttler and an inevitable cameo from Sam Curran, they finished a slow-burner of a third day on 260 for eight, a lead of 233.
Since both the pitch and outfield are sluggish, India’s chase will not be easy. But, not for the first time — and with a couple of exceptions — England seemed unsure whether to stick or twist.
Their disarray was captured by three moments. The first came after another failure for Alastair Cook, who had made only 12 when he edged a nondescript delivery from Jasprit Bumrah to second slip, where KL Rahul held on.
It left Cook with a Test average in 2018 of just 18, and no doubt contemplating his future. Yet instead of applauding Joe Root to the No 3 position he feels is best for him, the Southampton crowd found themselves welcoming Moeen Ali, who on Thursday had made 40 at No7. Inevitably, he managed just nine before becoming the latest left-hander to edge Ishant Sharma.
The second moment came first ball after lunch. The last ball before the break had brought India the wicket of Keaton Jennings, who had made 36.
Now Jonny Bairstow had the task of seeing out the lone delivery left in Mohammed Shami’s over.
For reasons best known to Bairstow himself, however, he aimed a loose drive and was bowled through an alarming gate.
By all accounts, Bairstow has been unhappy since being told to hand the gloves to Jos Buttler because of his broken finger, and bat at No4. The kindest thing to be said of the stroke was that it was lazy, though experts noted a tendency to stay leg-side of the ball, a possible consequence of limited-overs cricket. Whatever the reason, he has made six runs in three innings since fracturing his finger. He is not a happy camper.
The third moment occurred when Ben Stokes, who ignored his instincts while compiling 30 in 110 balls, pushed Sharma to mid-on and embarked on an optimistic single. Root, who had moved to 48, was slow to respond, then failed to dive — almost as if resigned to defeat by Shami’s unerring throw. Run out for the second time in the series, he could barely acknowledge his partner as he walked off.
The England captain had looked set to make his opposite number Virat Kohli regret a volley of abuse as he made his way to the middle. Full of adrenalin after the wicket of Moeen, Kohli reminded Root of his move down the order.
Since Kohli bats at No 4, the barb was not convincing. But if he sensed a festering sore in the England camp, he was showing the kind of intuition common to top captains.
understands Root had made it clear he favoured a return to No 4, where he averages 52. At No 3, the figure drops to 40.
With Cook and Jennings yet to score a half-century between them in 14 innings this series, Bairstow unhappy with his new role, and Root dragging a team-mate out of position mid-match, England are desperate to wrap things up here, rather than face the twin tasks at The Oval of securing the series and sorting out their batting order.
It was a good job, then, that Stokes was in obdurate mood, that Buttler has worked out a Test-match tempo, and that Curran remains full of the joys of life.
From 122 for five, a lead of just 95, Stokes and Buttler added 56 before Stokes edged Ravichandran Ashwin to slip. Ashwin may well have over 300 Test wickets but he has been out-spun here by Moeen. One wicket in 35 overs on a turning track is not enough, and it may cost India dear.
Buttler played with good sense before Sharma trapped him for 69. Curran carried on where he left off in the first innings, when he kept England in the game with a 78.
He and Buttler added 55, and Curran then squeezed another 27 out of the eighth wicket before Adil Rashid edged Shami in the last over.
Fourth-innings chases do not come easy at the Ageas Bowl and Moeen will be eyeing the rough outside the right-hander’s off stump.
But India — and Kohli in particular — will not concede this Test or this series without a fight.