19 hours ago
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Sky have Ian Ward interviewing Ben Duckett, who notes that with a newborn at home, you’re quickly back to reality after cricketing heroism. He also notes that at Headingley, the bat just felt great in his hands, and the team have changed as a group, setting a new way of making sure to win. We can see that in how they played Bumrah, and he notes his dismissal in the third Test in New Zealand, when he was out charging Tim Southeee as one of few regrets he has in cricket. Had England finished day four of the first match 10-2, they’d have had very little chance of a successful chase, but they were sensible, reaping their rewards later on.
India also have a choice to make with their bowlers. They’ll presumably leave out Shsrdul Thakur, but do they bolster the tail by replacing him with Washington Sundar, or attack with Kuldeep Yadav – goodness me, they’d have appreciated having him on day five at Headingley.
The sense from DK and SJ is that Jasprit Bumrah won’t be playing. Neither quite gets it – the teams have had a week off and India are trailing – and Broad doesn’t understand why they announced he’d play three of five, instead of taking each “week” as it comes. For my part, I thought they’d pick him here then leave him out at Lord’s, much as they’d want him there, then pick him for OT and see where the series is after four Tests. We shall see.
It looks a pretty pleasant day in Birmingham, which is a relief – I woke up, saw what London was doing, and feared for our plans. But here we are; this is going to be great.
Preamble
“It’s called a Test for a reason” is one of Test cricket’s most enduring cliches. Generally speaking, though, its deployment references the sporting aspect: what happens out there in the middle.
But the reality is somewhat different. Though the game remains testing, an extended examination of will and skill, for those with requisite ability and mentality the more significant test is abandoning friends, family and life for months at a time and year after year – while also being expected to perform.
As such, and though there were other operative factors, it is not entirely surprising that, on recent tours to India and Pakistan, England won the first Test of the series before losing the others. Similarly, in the most recent Ashes, Australia won the first two then lost the second two, and when South Africa last visited, they won the first before being clattered in the second and third.
Or, in other words, it’s hard not to fear for India. Of course there’s the playing aspect – a young team and a novice captain, coming to terms with the retirements of three champions, facing hosts who may just be maturing from something special into something serious. We know, though, that they can play – and they proved it at Headingley, a match it should have been impossible for them to lose. Yet lose it they did, meaning they arrive at Edgbaston trailing 1-0 with four matches still to go. It may not be a long way back, but it is a long way home.
Play: 11am BST
