Even Stevens going into Dharmshala

After a brief distraction from the series due to the HudHud phenomenon and all the destruction, both the teams will like to refocus on the game ahead. The venue is the picturesque ground at Dharamshala in the lap of the Himalayas.

At 1317 meters above sea level it is bound to be windy and chilly by Indian standards during this time of the year.  This is the second One dayer being hosted here. The last one was in Jan 2013, where England got the better of India by 7 wickets, thanks to an unbeaten Ian Bell hundred.

India would remember that match and would keep in their mind to prepare for this match. They could only put a below par total (less than 230) on board which was easily overhauled by England.

India lost the No 1 Ranking to the Aussies, thanks to the last match being called off in this series. They played like a No 1 ranked team in Delhi prior to that and it was an inspired leadership from Captain Dhoni to help India claw back into the game from a hopeless situation. The teams have added interesting options to the squad. India have added Akshar Patel to the squad and Miller gets added to the Windies side. Both seem unlikely to play at Dharamshala, which should favour the seamers though; Unless Ambati Rayudu is rested and Akshar plays as an allrounder. Rayudu has been decent with the bat, but has not pulled his weight around. To cement his place he needs to get a big innings sooner than later. The Team Management is grooming him for the No 4 position at the moment. But is he up for the task? If Akshar plays, then he might also replace Amit Mishra as the second spinner. Akshar is a better bat than Amit Mishra but it all depends on what future role both are earmarked to play for Team India. If Akshar plays, it would be a spectacular rise for the Gujarat boy, who was an unheard commodity till as late as a couple of IPL seasons back. In his last two IPL stints he has been not only impressive but compelling with his rare confidence and bravado.

India now has a Kuldeep Yadav and Akshar Patel in the squad. If both do not play in the tournament, then why select them? Is India searching for a third spinner in the squad for the tour Down Under? Is that what MSD is mulling?

West Indies have looked surprisingly settled despite the embarassing loss at Delhi. Inspite of the absence of a Gayle (and a Lendl Simmons), the batting unit should look unchanged. What they are missing in Indian conditions is Sunil Narine. He is miserly with the ball and it is always nice to have a wicket taking bowler who is shown respect by the best of batsman in World Cricket today. Besides, you could use him intelligently at the death and he could be the difference between the sides in the end. I hope he is able to clear his bowling action before the World Cup. What Murali was to Srilanka, Narine is to the Windies today. Also, Marlon Samuels should not have batted so low in the order in Delhi. A man who got you a victory in the last match with a hundred, must be allowed to bat at his favourite position. He should be batting at 3 or 4. I sense he was disappointed with the way he got out, or the situation in which he got out. He would have definitely liked to come at 4 in place of Pollard. Not that Pollard did not justify his promotion, but you need to ensure some continuity.

India look likely to tame the Windies again, unless ofcourse if the Windies get to bowl first and pack off the Top 4 cheaply. In these conditions Taylor, Sammy and even Andre Russell might be potent in the first 15 overs. Would love to see how India handle the bowling. This will show how we are going to fare in seaming and swinging conditions later in the year and early next year.

Windies back to their old ways...

Alas, all that adulation for Dwayne Bravo and the spirit of the Caribbean is seeming misplaced. Chasing a gettable Indian total and at 170-2, Windies (or for that matter any side would have) looked like clinching another win and making it an embarrassing 0-2 for M/s Dhoni. But it was not to be. Some reckless batting (the usual Calypso style of batting we are used to seeing in the post-Vivian Richards-Greenidge-Haynes era) and tight spin bowling led to one of the more famous wins Team India has had in recent times. The Windies batsman were in a mood to leave early for some hot party in some nook of Gurgaon perhaps !!

The fact that India clawed back into the game is something Dhoni would be proud of, albeit in front of the home crowd against a team they are fancied to win against in all formats these days. After all, India are the defending World Champs. Nevetheless, this will give India (read Dhoni) the confidence in his team's abilities to come out, and come out victorious, from tight and seemingly dead-duck situations.

For the Windies, Dwayne Smith proved his class with a promising innings. Smith is a much improved cricketer (read batsman) from the days when he burst on to the scene as a bowling allrounder who could tonk the ball a long way. Those days (2003-2007), he used to bat at 7 or 8, and ended up getting out often, trying to hit out of the ground without any notable contributions in the dying moments of the match. Something what an Andre Russel or a Darren Sammy is supposed to deliver today. The IPL has surely resurrected his game and career. Not only has be looked dangerous and destructive, but has looked to stay at the crease, avoid getting out and hence pile on the misery for the opposition. Quite unlike most West Indian openers from the 90s and the last decade. I wish he had found his mojo a tad earlier. He is no longer in his twenties (He will be 32 in April next year), and the Windies might need him for a long time if they have to build a strong side around him and some others. He should be a force in the coming seasons and a key asset for the Windies in the upcoming World Cup. I personally believe that a side whose Openers are in the form of their lives, lend guaranteed success to their sides chances in all formats and conditions.

That is why I feel a Smith and a fit Gayle will be a deadly combination in the coming seasons. Only the Indians and perhaps the Aussies are the other teams to match the duo in terms of what they have to offer these days at the top of the order.

India tested out Umesh Yadav, probably to examine his form and fitness, and explore options for the tour Down Under. Umesh was decent with his pace, but was overshadowed by Shami Ahmed.

Shami Ahmed with his new found vigor after a long tour to England is refreshing to watch. Maybe his marriage in 2014 to the beautiful Hasin Jahan has helped !! His jadedness has vanished !!

After making his First Class debut for Assam in 2010 he has come a long way within 4 years. Not only has he leapfrogged every one else in the race (including the man he had replaced to get his first break in to the Playing XI - fellow Bengal quickie Ashok Dinda), but also surprised every one with his pace and wicket taking abilities. He is deceptively potent. Genial demeanor, but he is at you all the time. He is quietly confident about his abilities, and so is the team management including MSD.

Indian fans would have also heaved a sigh of relief to see Virat Kohli back among the runs, even if it was not his fluent best. Only if he had got a hundred, he and the fans would have declared him back in form. Such is his legacy over the last few years. He has averaged more than 47 in One Day Internationals since 2010. This means he is almost likely to score a half century every time he comes to bat !! In 2011, 2012 and 2013 he has perhaps averaged even more than 50. He and MSD would know, these averages mean nothing if you do not win matches. But arguably, India has been on top of the rankings and on the winning ledge of ODI games thanks largely to Virat Kohli's seamless and prolific batting in the last 2-3 years. He is 'The' Wicket for the opposition these days. If he scores a ton, India win hands down. Lets wish, he rediscovers his hundred scoring form before or during the World Cup. An ominous sign for all opponents.

Well now that India has won, this series is level 1-1, and India has the all important momentum. Seems unlikely they would squander it in the series now. I do not reckon the Windies stand any chance in the next duel. But then, this is Cricket !

India should look to plug holes and spring back

The last match result as mentioned in my previous post was not altogether unexpected for me. Windies looked far more hungrier and determined. India went mostly through the motions and it showed in their intent on the field and on the 22 yards. India fielded poorly, bowled average and then had a field day with the bat. 

The biggest concern for Dhoni would be, in my mind, the form of the ever so dependable Virat Kohli. He would like Virat to get back to form somewhere in the series before he pack his bags for a long sojourn Down Under which ends with the 'Big' tournament. I am sure Ravi Shastri would have given him a pep talk post the match.

India opened well with Ajinkya and Shikhar. Had Ajinkya not run himself out the end result could have been different. Shikhar still looks rusty and not as fluent as he would like to be. If he continues to bat like this, the selectors might start having other ideas for the World Cup. This is like a Pre World Cup practice series, and the selectors would like to see key players get back to form, and try out fringe ones. Murali Vijay is one player who must be waiting for his chance. His luck has run out of late and may be his new bearded look might help.

He can be an asset in subcontinental conditions, but can he be trusted for the World Cup? Why is he in the team at the first place. Robin Uthappa, a much improved version, and a much more hungry version is what we needed to infuse some energy at the top. He could have been the answer to push Shikhar. Murali is easily the 3rd choice, and will remain so for the series and for some time to come. And with Rohit making his intentions clear that he is 90% fit and ready to come back at the top, Shikhar is likely to lose out (and Murali would continue to be relegated as a fringe opener). Unless of course the team management thinks otherwise and would like to push for the age old tactics of a left and right combination to upset the bowlers' rhythms. 

This is also an important game for Ishant Sharma. The man suddenly is no longer in the starting XI of an Indian one day side. He would be nervous today and it is good for him. Ishant could be a vital cog in Team India's World Cup trophy defense plans. India cannot win the coveted trophy with a bunch of nothing bowlers.We have one consistent seamer in Bhuvi. We need another. Shami has bowled well in the death overs but remains expensive. Ishant brings with him the potency of pace and bounce. In Australia he could be a shotgun with a purpose.

From the Windies standpoint, all their IPL gains showed in the match. They now know what it perhaps takes to win in Indian conditions. That is a dangerous ammunition to have against Team India. Almost half the side consists of players who (Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder and Darren Sammy) are seasoned IPL players now and know the conditions more than any other foreign players. Dwayne Bravo is a wise horse and is a street smart captain who knows his limitations. Playing for Dhoni he would learned quite a few tricks. I give him full points to lead a Windies side to victory (sans Gayle and a banned Sunil Narine) to victory against a full strength Indian side at Kochi (which is no longer an IPL venue). His captaincy was inspired and I would be excited to see how he leads the side rest of the series. If he can string together another set of wins, the Windies would have nailed a vital issue in their one day cricket.

I expect India to bat much better, and perhaps win this for sure. But, Dwayne Bravo is the man. Love his dance moves !!! Hope he gets plenty of opportunities to do some moves today !! lol

Tame Series..

In the midst of a hangover of the recently concluded Asian Games where Indian athletes diverted some attention from the Champions Trophy, comes another series. All headlines claim, what a meaningless series in the wake of a looming series Down Under and an impending World Cup where India are defending champions with the same man at the helm - Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

But, as Dhoni said, he would like to believe that there are plenty to prepare and look forward to. A Windies unit without Gayle and Narine looks half the side on paper, but they have interesting names like Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo and Pollard to keep the interest alive. 

For Team India, the only worry would be around the opening slot in the immediate term. Ajinkya Rahane gets another go at the top where he did make the right noises in England and looks like the correct option to open in Australia-New Zealand as well. He has done well in the domestic season and been prolific at the top for the Rajasthan Royals, the IPL franchise he plays for. However, I could not have been more disappointed at the exclusion of Robin Uthappa. He has been among the runs after an overhaul of his batting style and approach. Kolkata Knight Riders owe a lot to him for the 'coveted' Champions Trophy and the IPL crowns. Maybe he is in the mix for the World Cup, but with Rohit Sharma sure to come back to the Playing XI (and maybe at the top of the order) whenever he is fit, the opportunity for Robin to make the starting XI is remote. Unless ofcourse something dramatic happens. Like the Windies beat India in the series. Which maybe likely if they bat better than us. 

This could happen in the wake of 2 of the Top 3 not in great touch. Shikhar Dhawan is a default opener now for Team India. There is no competition in the form of a Gautam Gambhir or anyone else for the series. Unless Ajinkya or somebody gets unfit Murali Vijay will be warm the bench for the better half of the series. Shikhar has struggled and has not looked the force that catapulted him to the opening slot. He has displaced a hungry and determined Gambhir out of the side. Same curious case vis-a-vis Virat. He has been so impressive and prolific since 2008, that the fans expect him to score hundreds and fifties every match, otherwise he is labelled out of form !! If Shikhar and Virat continue to struggle and Rahane and Raina have an off day, Windies could steal a win !

Kochi is likely to be a belter (God willing, i.e. if it does not rain), and the team that bats better wins. With no Sunil Narine, the onus to win the game for the Windies lies with their power hitters. Pollard, Samuels and Smith. If they come good, they have a chance. Add Sammy and Russell and you may have a smart pack with enough ammunition to upset Team India.

Dhoni knows this, and he would know that any slip up at the top of the order could mean exposing the middle order. However, the batting unit as a whole is well oiled and high on confidence after the English exploits. With Amit Mishra back and eager to impress, Windies should struggle against spin. I guess the way both teams play spin will be the difference in the scores.

I see a comfortable win for Team India at Kochi. It has been a happy hunting ground for Team India, and will continue to be like that.

India thrills in the shorter version: Several gains

Despite losing the last match, the T20 match at Birmingham yesterday, India would leave England on a high. India give priority to ODI wins and they would be mighty pleased with the outcome of the ODI series, and they definitely made a match of the uphill chase in the lone T20, albeit not being able to surmount in the last step. England on the other hand would console themselves that atleast they saved the day by clinching the Test series coming from behind. The back to back test wins was the only high for the English team and Captain Cook. England has always looked to unfairly shun limited overs cricket for a while now. I would certainly like to know what difference would the presence of a Broad, Bresnan or a Luke Wright or Bopara have made. England would have looked more potent atleast on paper. Cook opens for England till the World Cup and perhaps is the best choice to lead them. I would not write them off yet, due to their bowling options. England need a blistering start alright, but they also need solidity at the top. Cook is a solid old fashioned ODI bat and his stodgy batting at the top, long made obsolete by the likes of Jayasuriyas, Tendulkars, Sehwags, Haydens, Gilchrists, Gayles, et al. will help England lay solid platforms for the strokemakers down the order. England have flirted with the Am-Wham-Thankyou-Ma'am approach at the top in the shorter version with the likes of Craig Kieswetter, Luke Wright and others with limited success. Alex Hales (and perhaps Jason Roy, if he is in the scheme of things for the WC) still provide that option for England. Perhaps England can also open with Bopara as the pinch hitter. His hitting abilities are grossly under rated. Going by what Arjuna Ranatunga reasoned for Kaluwitharana and Jayasuriya when they were pitching in with short quick innings of 20s and 30s batting at 6 or 7 for Srilanka in the 90s. If one can make a 10 ball 25 batting at 7 in the dying overs, what can he do if he batted at the top getting full 50 overs to bat. And everyone knows what deadly effect the duo had on world cricket, and an everlasting effect, changing the way One Day cricket is played. Cook can perhaps reinvent himself at No 3. a la Gambhir or Ganguly.

Plenty of positives from the tour for India though. They have a batting unit that is buzzing with energy. The batting success rubbed on the ground fielding which was electric and effervescent. The bowling department was doing well, with the only concern being the death bowling. India are yet to find a Malinga in their ranks. (although Malinga is so unique that you may never find someone again so menacing and accurate with yorkers) I feel a fully fit and hungry Zaheer is the closest answer to that. India have kept Zaheer hungry of late, and whenever he is back, he would be eager to impress. His fitness is the key to India's bowling woes. He is a clever operator and could bamboozle many a batsman in the death. Add his experience Down Under and he becomes a matchwinner for India.

Coming back to the positives for India. India look settled in the batting department. Rahane and Dhawan open with Kohli, Raina and Dhoni to follow. Jadeja and Ashwin should be the spin workhorses for the middle overs. India's ability to restrict oppositions lies in their hands. The home series with the West Indies looks more of a disturbance to the WC preparations. It would be interesting to see the selection for that series. Would they bring in fresh replacements and preserve the best XI, or keep playing the best XI and in the process expose them to opportunities to get injured or become jaded and rusty (The England tour has been a long one, 5 Tests followed by 5 One dayers and a lone T20) I bet some players (like Bhuvi) need to be rested for the WI series. I also see a Yuvraj, or a Manoj Tiwary and even Robin Uthappa coming in for that series. All three vying for one of the 2 unsettled spots in the squad. The lone middle order berth and the backup opener's slot. The middle order slot is left vacant by the sudden success of Rahane at the top. He looks to be the best bet to open in Australia. The contenders for the spot left vacant for him at 5 or 6 are many. Yuvraj Singh is my favourite. (But then there is a lot of heart in that pining; Is he in form and the kind of form that would warrant a place in the playing XI? Suspect.), Ambati Rayudu? (He is young, eager to impress, has been waiting in the ranks for a long while, and has done well in England albeit on flat sub continental like pitches), Rohit Sharma (the most likely guy to get the nod. He is a man who when on song can be a matchwinner. He can hold and hit and is difficult to dislodge) or Manoj Tiwary (He is talented and with whatever little opportunity he has got has impressed, plus he can bowl spin too as can Yuvraj, Rohit or Rayudu) The other position which looks unsettled is the third or backup openers' slot. Gambhir and Sehwag look unlikely to hang around in the WC squad for that. Murali Vijay is an option certainly and he would like to impress in the West Indies home series. But then again, he is known to be a big hitting lion only at home and not very effective elsewhere. Robin Utthappa is an option, provided he improves his consistency. His strike rate was never a problem. He could also play in the middle order as he has done for India in the shortest version. India would also like to consider Parthiv Patel. He is a backup keeper (along with Wriddiman Saha and the new kid Sanju Samson) to Dhoni and could double up as a backup opener. He is an aggressive hooker and puller and a expert keeper. He has a big heart and doesnt chicken out on Big Match days. I expect him to be in the frame of things. With the Indian batting ticking all the boxes, suddenly there seems to be no need for discussion on the Parthivs and Sehwags and Yuvrajs of the world. 

The bowling needs to improve, but the biggest gain from the entire tour has been Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. He has been the spearhead for a majority of the tour, bowling miserly at the top and getting crucial wickets. He will be an asset Down Under. Shami impressed in the ODIs but he has competition. Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron and Mohit Sharma. He would know that Zaheer is aiming to make a comeback. Things are tight, and time will tell who remains fit and hungry by the time India reach Australia. The spin department looks settled and Jadeja and Ashwin look like they would carry India's middle over workload on their shoulders with support from the 'batting allrounders' like Raina, Yuvraj, Rohit, Rayudu or even Tiwary.

Indian team will be heading back to India in 'high spirits', pun intended. Time to look towards a more tame series with the Windies. Welcome to the Pollards and Gayles swashbuckling Windies style of cricket.

England should expect no mercy from India

Dhoni is hungry and England are on the mat. If I would have been him, I would have gone all out to complete a whitewash. It would give you such a high after a near disastrous Test series against the same opponent. 

England are likely to have the same lineup. The problem is not the lineup but the application. England as I said in my last blog must bat well in the middle overs to be able to give themselves any chance in the death overs. Their batting is the key to the result. If they bat well (which they should, after all the failings and flak, and a flat pitch expected at Headingly with little or no cloud cover) I predict this could be a high scoring game. The onus shall be on the middle overs again. Bell is out due to injury, so a lot of responsibility rests with Ballance, Root and Morgan. The trio will have to show some gumption and ensure that the likes of Jadeja, Ashwin & co. do not force a similar result again. 

Again, England have a matchwinner at the top, and their woes is partly because he has unexpectedly not fired. He has an aggregate of 88 runs from 3 outings with an unimpressive average of under 30. A couple of 40+ scores in this series is lot less than what was expected from him. Once he is set, he needs to be around and push the accelerator. Something that England would like him to do, so that there is less pressure on the struggling middle order. The teams are staring at a flat pitch this time, and it is the time for Hales to come to the party. I expect England to perform much better than they have fared till now in the series.

Dhoni is not known to tinker with his winning XI, even for dead rubbers like this. But the sudden rise in faith of Rahane's suitability at the top means there is a void to be filled up in the middle overs. And you have a young 19 year old Sanju Samson to try out. It would be a good game to give him his debut and valuable international exposure. The lad has a first class average of 43+ and has 4 centuries to his name already. It will be a waste if he ends up not playing. With so much cricket to be played in the near future including the World Cup, it would be a good idea to blood youngsters. Rohit Sharma should be able to come back into the middle order, but he has been an inconsistent bloke. In the bowling Karn Sharma could get a game after a noteworthy performance in the practice game in England. He has an outside chance to play if Ashwin is rested. I do not expect Umesh Yadav to get a game though.

Dead Rubber it is, but expect plenty of boundaries and a run feast !! Sit back and enjoy.

England decimated within 31 overs !!

So much was expected from England, but India is truly on top of their game, and with spin friendly pitches England had no chance. By the time Ashwin came to bowl, England were 3 down and Morgan and Root were on the backfoot. A spinner loves to bowl when the new ball bowlers have done the damage. England never really got going and the late flourish never came. Moeen Ali did leave an impact but that was simply not enough. After restricting England to an under par score India cantered home without any loss. Rahane gone only just before victory. Dhawan got an important innings, more importantly remaining unbeaten till the end, which should help his confidence and do a world of good to Team India. A settled opening pair is the best thing to happen for any top notch side. For England though, the problem starts from the top.

There has been a lot of clamor for Cook's place in the shorter version due to his scoring rate and his limited success of late. But England need not be able to look beyond Cook till the World Cup atleast. Firstly, there is no one pushing him for the top job. Morgan is struggling. Pietersen is out of favour. That leaves England with only one alternative - Stuart Broad. I am not a fan of Stuard Broad the Captain though. England need fresh thought. Secondly, Cook has had a prolific career over the years, and if he holds one end up, England do have a worthy plan to build the innings around him, Bell and Root while the stroke makers up the ante.

The worthy England captain in my view would have been Mr 'Swagger' Pietersen. He inspires awe around the world and is a matchwinner. He would walk into any limited overs side. Unfortunately for England, he is out of the gambit. With the present set of choices with England, they are doomed in the World cup. Changing the captain hence does not help. 

Middle Overs hold the key for Tuesday's Match

India go into the next match 2-0 up and threaten to bag another one on present form and momentum. England will have to come up with something dramatically different for this encounter. For instance, bat well through the middle overs. The spinners Ashwin, Jadeja & Co have ensured India get an iron clasp of the game during the middle overs, often leaving no room to play strokes and eventually England succumb. This has meant very little contribution from the likes of Bell, Root, Morgan, Buttler and the allrounder brigade. 

I would expect some changes in the middle order for England. Who will it be? Bell? Morgan or Root? Bell brings in experience. Roots has been among the runs in the Tests, but then this is a different format and every games you start afresh. Morgan is an asset with his big hitting and can gallop to a catchy scoring rate in no time despite a slow shaky start. England need a big one from one of these 3 guys in the middle. If either is going to make way, it would be for Gary Ballance. Ballance has been a mainstay for England during the recently concluded Investec Test Series with India, but hasnt cemented his place in the shorter version. Will he grab his chance with both hands? On recent form, i bet he will. 

Moeen Ali also becomes an automatic choice for the allrounder slot ahead of Ben Stokes. Although England have never really relied on a spinning allrounder, especially while playing in England and playing against a subcontinent side like India, who can play out less than spectacular spinners half asleep. Moeen is no Swann mind you. Barring recent exceptions like Samit Patel, England have always had more illustrious allrounders who were all pace bowlers. If I read the game correctly, Moeen Ali should make an impact with both bat and ball tommorrow. He must be eager to perform and will have to once again silence his naysayers. Moeen Ali will bring that uncanny wicket taking ability of Jadeja into the England side, although Tredwell is the better spinner of the two.

In my view the slower bowlers on both sides bowling during the middle overs will hold the key in tommorrow's match. So Ashwin, Jadeja, Tredwell (if he plays) and Moeen Ali hold the key to the match. A dry pitch should favour the spinners even more. 

For India, everything is going right for them now. And if Mohit Sharma is cleared to play in this encounter, then Dhoni gets his best XI on the field. If Mohit is unable to take the field then it is a toss between Dhawal Kulkarni and Umesh Yadav. Dhawal is a similar bowler, but Umesh Yadav has got pace. His present form though is a mystery. If Mohit has a specific role to play, then like for like, Dhawal should get the nod ahead of Umesh. Period. Expect no further changes. Dhoni is not known to make unnecessary changes. 

Elsewhere in the cricket world, Elton Chigumbura guides Zimbabweans home against the more fancied Australian side with a life saving partnership with Prosper Utseya. My hearty congratulations to the entire Zimbabwean team and their families. It is a day they all will cherish all their lives !!

India scurry past England and make it 2-0, looking for a whitewash

It is the same story for England in the ODIs as was for India in the Tests. The Batsmen just do not seem to be clicking as a unit. One would have expected more out of the likes of the 50-over specialists like Morgan and Buttler. 

Bopara was missed! I mean yes Buttler batted at 6 for England yesterday, and he is a great prospect for England. And Bopara perhaps would have slotted at 7 had he been around in place of Stokes. Ben Stokes is hugely talented alright, but Bopara has a better strike rate and a much better average of 31ish against Stokes who averages under 15, which is nothing to be proud of. Plus, the biggest advantage what Bopara brings to the table is the experience of playing 108 one day internationals across the globe. By now he and Bell should have been the spine of the team. But then this is England and one dayers are still looked down upon, and still do not get the same importance as Tests in England. It looks to me that winning the tests against India was everything England wanted out of this series. But a champion side needs to win in all formats, lest bad form and vibes affect their team in their favorite format. As a result, Englands' sedate yet solid start at the top by Cook and Hales was squandered away. A good side would have notched up 275+ after that kind of start. 

But unfortunately for England the pitch was 'Made in India' and Ashwin and Co. made full use of it. Dhoni must have been delighted. You seldom catch him smiling behind the stumps, but he did so on more than couple of occasions. Why wont he? This was a complete performance and the horrid days of the test losses seems like distant memory. Dhoni would like to believe all is well, atleast in this format, and India look well prepared for next year's world cup.

But the caveat is that one or two performances do not mean ever lasting success. India are still unsettled with the their opening partners. Rohit has been inconsistent of late, and is injured. It will be interesting to see how he copes with the injury and how fast he proves his form and fitness before the World Cup. Shikhar Dhawan has looked out of sorts, and his lack of runs means India have never started with a 100 run partnership at the top for some time now. Vijay has not opened in this format for a long time, although his big hitting exploits in the IPL are well known.

But I feel Rahane is the best choice to open in Australian conditions. He is technically sound, and scores at a pretty ominous pace. If Rahane plays well in subsequent matches in England, Dhoni needs to ponder whether he has a better option in Rahane than anyone else to open in Australia later this year and next year. Rohit can go back to the middle order, and India have a lot of options in the slot vacated by Rahane in the middle order if Rohit flirts with inconsistency. Rayudu, Binny and possibly even Yuvraj Singh and Manoj Tiwary. And with Sanju Samson waiting in the wings under a rich vein of form, middle order options are multifarious. 

Mohammad Shami has looked fresh and that is good for India. He has been pacy, nasty and accurate. Which means he has kept Umesh Yadav out of the side. Yadav does warrant a look in, once India seal the series with another win. India may need him in Australia. And the team managament would surely like to have all guns well oiled before departing for Australia. 

I am also disappointed with the way Bell and Morgan have played in the tournament. Both have got out and would feel unlucky on both occasions, but they need to fire as the senior lynchpins of the side. In the absence of the mercurial Pietersen, if England have any chance at the WC next year, these two have to be in good shape. Both can play the big innings and Morgan can be deathly for any opponent in the dying overs of the innings. If the two results have been so lopsided so far for England it is because Morgan has not been able to deliver.  I bet Morgan is itching for a big innings to silence his critics and stake his claims for the captaincy just before the World Cup. England are better served under him for the shorter version. Let the likes of Hales and Co. bludgeon at the top. Bell, Ballance, Root can join in to accumulate and consolidate and then the late blitzkrieg by Morgan, Buttler, Bopara and Jordan is the ideal recipe for England's success next year.

Even the media must be a little weary reporting about the turmoil about Ravi Shastri's appointment and speculations about who calls the shots within the team now. So some action on the field would be a welcome aberration to all the speculative analysis.

Focus back on the teams. Alex Hales will be the focus when England bat, especially when England bat first. Going by his recent form in domestic cricket, especially the shortest version, he looks likely to carry England home on his own. And with India's batting form suspect barring exceptions like Dhoni, England looks good to win the first (albeit second fixture) match of the series.

For Team India, knowing Dhoni does not like to throw too many surprises, Dhawan and Rohit should open and are expected to flounder at the top. If Kohli comes to the party then maybe India may post a total in excess of 275. Otherwise, it is left to chance. Such is Kohli's influence in the 50 over format. Rahane bats at 4 and Raina at 5. And yes, Jadeja at 7. There might be surprise selections in the bowling department (influence of Mr Shastri ??)..Maybe a Dhawal Kulkarni or Karn Sharma gets game. But if Dhoni is indeed the boss as Shastri says, then both will not play.

A Prelude to World Cup preparations for India

India is past the horrendous journey of the test series, and it is time to expect better results from the team due to the change in the format. After all, India are the reigning World Champs and would be returning to the World Cup arena next year to defend their title albeit in hostile conditions in Australia and New Zealand. The World is watching them !! Well they already have had a taste of New Zealand recently where they could not convert opportunities and lost close matches. And the present series in England gives them a good chance to tinker and play around with their options especially with the batting. 

India has opened with Rohit and Dhawan and of late both have been found out of sorts. It is time they start firing and stop gifting away their wickets. Virat Kohli can not always bail the team out. Virat's own form was suspect in the test series, but this champion lad has mastered the art of building an innings in the 50-over format. He showed welcome signs of return to form in the practice game last week with a well made 70 plus score. And so did Ambati Rayudu. Will Rayudu get a chance in the playing eleven needs to be seen. Raina should definitely get a look-in and Jadeja is a favourite to start off as the No 1 spinner in the side. So it is a toss sadly between Rahane and Rayudu. India might need the services of both, should the top half meekly surrender. 

Ashwin has been a mainstay in the spin department since the last World Cup, but that was a long time ago. But he is no longer a spearhead. Maybe the opposition has found a way to work around him. So it would be interesting if Dhoni rewards the rookie Karn Sharma with a debut. Karn was impressive in the practice game, with 3 scalps, albeit all lower order batsman of a county side. But he comes into the squad in a rich vein of form, and the idea of fielding a side on a day is to field the best XI. So in my view, Karn needs a look in. Will Mr Shastri have a say in this? I would also be excited to see what Umesh Yadav can conjure up especially if he opens the bowling at the expense of Shami Ahmed or maybe Mohit Sharma. Bhuvi opens the bowling for sure, but who shall partner him?

England have their own interesting set of options. Moeen Ali has been in unputdownable wicket taking form in the test series, while being decent with the bat. Will he be rewarded for the same with a sustained run through the one dayers? Time will tell. Cook is a defensive captain and chances are he would not be looking too far in the future. But, Moeen is a spinner, and just like India, England think tank will also be looking towards preparing for the next year's World Cup. This means they would like to groom Stokes, Woakes and even Bopara (if he would have been in the side). I really wonder why he was omitted. He has been in great form whenever he has donned the English blues and a few times played the lone hand at the death. He is the perfect no 6 for England.

I am excited to see Alex Hales at the top of the order. He will be a dangerous batsman and India needs to get him early, because if he gets going, England are sure to post a 300 plus score on board. Ballance should get a game at 3 or 4, and that leaves Bell at 4 or 3 or maybe even 5 if Eoin Morgan wants to play up the order. Buttler is a certainty and then the flurry of allrounders.

It looks like an interesting duel in the 50 over format, and unless India bat like the champions they are, and their 'stars' bat even 50% of what they are capable of, India will struggle in this leg of the tour as well.

Autopsy: Investec Test Series

It is so ironical that when you think of summing up of what happened in the Investec Test series, the one thing that comes to mind is the word Autopsy, usually associated with a death or a corpse. In essence it has been a horrible test series and one more away series loss for Captain Dhoni. He now holds the dubious distinction for most away test losses as Captain of any Indian Test side. It is not the fact that the test series was lost, but the manner of defeats, especially the last test at the Oval which should hurt all Team India fans worldwide as well as the team within. Barring Anderson who was at the top of his game, England was very much a beatable side; coming into the series low on confidence with multiple series losses and a loss at Lords in the second test was a golden chance for Team India. True, India never had the bowlers who threatened to take 20 English wickets, but the abject fielding was clearly the sore point. 

Heads have already started to roll and the two assistant coaches have been 'given a break', and Mr Ravi Shastri appointed the Director with immediate effect. This indirectly means Coach Fletcher stands sidelined and probably opens the door for his exit. Some would call this knee jerk, and indeed it may not have a direct or immediate impact on the team's fortunes in the One Day Internationals in England which start within a week from now.

At the beginning of the series both Cook and Dhoni had similar records in the test arena of late and one of them was bound to end on the losing side. Dhoni was sadly unlucky as he was part of a side whose bowling unit is nothing to be proud of and whose batting contingent just did not show the application it should have had from its so called world class players ! Are we labeling our young guns world class too early?  Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman, Kumble, Harbhajan and Sehwag are never going to play a test again for India, and we are now staring at this new bunch of players for atleast for the next 3-5 years. Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane will do the bulk of the batting in tests for India going forward. While Bhuvi, Shami, Ishant, Ashwin and Jadeja will have the onus of the bowling department. If not a wake up call for all the above, this series definitely gives them the 'experience' to come out stronger and hungrier for success. The only outside chance from the legends to ever make it to the Indian side again would be Virender Sehwag, if he can maintain his fitness and come back to form before the Tour Down Under at the end of this year. (Albeit he turns 36 in October this year and had a horrendous run against the Aussies in March 2013) India over the last decade relied heavily on his exploits at the top and his prolific hundreds laid the platform for the famed middle order. The Sehwag factor was missing in this series (and has been missing on all the overseas tours Dhoni has lost of late) even though Murali Vijay looked the best batsman in English conditions. Atleast, one hoped he would not meekly surrender everytime he came out to bat after the first test. But he could garner little support from Gambhir or Shikhar. Gambhir looked like a spent force and his obsessive fixation to look cute by running down the ball to the third man has been his undoing in many a match now, across formats. Shikhar Dhawan suddenly seems to have lost his mojo. India has not had a 50 run opening partnership for more than 10 innings. Pujara looked good during his brief stays at the crease, and while he has played the bulwark to perfection in preceding tours to South Africa and New Zealand, his failure in England meant India never dominated a game. He like his predecessor Dravid, is getting bamboozled and bowled 'through the gates' early in his innings which must be a concern for the team management and the coach.

There are not many options one can think of and this is the reason why talent still is the yardstick for selections. Case in point Rohit Sharma. Rohit promises to end up like Yuvraj Singh. A highly talented bat but with limited success in tests. He should be dropped from the test side and should not travel to Australia for the tests. Where are the Ranji bullwarks and run machines? Apart from rewarding Ranji top scorers one should also expose young batsmen in county circuit. I remember, during the 90s and even in the last decade (but ah yes, before the IPL started..!!) subcontinent players used to play in the county circuit and that is the reason India had a better record overseas. Dravid, Sehwag, Harbhajan, Kumble, Dinesh Mongia, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Srinath, Prasad, all played for county teams in more than one season. So it is not the coach or the supporting staff or even the Captain to blame. Lack of application does not equate to lack of ability. Simply put, alien conditions are tough to deal with and success comes with practice and experience. So if the BCCI is having the right intentions (they have the right advisors) they ought to arrange tours regularly to face such conditions especially the Under 19 blokes. Otherwise, we will continue to beat around the bush and keep sacking assistant coaches and questioning and scrutinizing every loss and every move made by the Captain on the field.

Team India comes back home after the One Dayers in England and hosts the Windies next and then they move to another disaster zone - Australia. If India continues to have a mindset towards Test cricket like this, the Australian series could definitely be Dhoni's last overseas series as Test Captain and probably jeopardize next year's 50 Over World Cup which is being jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. So the Shikhar Dhawans, Virat Kohlis, Ajinkya Rahanes, Rohit Sharmas need to pull up their socks, get back some confidence and regroup as a batting unit. India cannot win overseas without their batting unit firing in all cylinders. The Top 4 need to fire. 

I am not talking of bowling because nobody is losing sleep over the fast bowlers. They seem to be just making up the numbers. There are no match winners in the side. Ashwin has become toothless of late. Jadeja has had a forgettable Test series and would be low on confidence. England hammered the bowlers whilst it was not really a batting pitch at the Oval. Bhuvi bowled miserly and picked wickets but looked jaded and defeated by the end of the penultimate test. He needs to be rested perhaps for the first one day fixture.  Ishant used the short ball to good effect at Lords and was rewarded with a bounty of wickets which enabled India to win the Lords test. However, his workhorse like approach meant India missed a strike bowler. Varun Aaron looked good, but lacks the guile to outwit the batsman. India perhaps missed a trick by reserving Mohit Sharma for the one dayers only. He could have been handy in English conditions. I bet Dhoni will use him first up in the One Dayers. 

Team India will be bolstered by some fresh legs in the form of Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu and Sanju Samson for the One Dayers. Sanju Samson has been in fine touch of late and it would be interesting to see where is he slotted and at what point he gets picked. Shikhar Dhawan gets another go at England, and perhaps he should be liking this format more since it suits his batting style. I pray Kohli finds his Midas touch again. One Day cricket has been his forte and he has mastered the art to build an innings in 50 overs. Lets hope I do not have to write an autopsy for the one dayers atleast.

Cricket Utopia: Pugnacious Dhoni stands out on England's day

Cricket Utopia: Pugnacious Dhoni stands out on England's day: It was a sense of deja vu. India were put into bat on Day 1 by England at the Oval in the penultimate (but series deciding) test match...

Pugnacious Dhoni stands out on England's day

It was a sense of deja vu. India were put into bat on Day 1 by England at the Oval in the penultimate (but series deciding) test match of the Investec Test Series, and barring the Indian captain, Dhoni, the scorecard wore a sorry face. Dhoni showed his teammates how to go about things in such conditions and bettered his 70 he made in the last test. Dhoni once again walked in when India were in deep deep trouble. He walked into bat at 8 for 4 in the disastrous innings India had at Manchester, while he came to the crease today when the scoreboard read 36 runs for Team India. Yet India managed to salvage some decency to the score albeit not enough, ending at 148 all out. Dhoni batted bravely and did what he had to with no nervousness and muddle in his mind as he lost partners at the other end. He added 58 runs with Ishant Sharma for the last wicket. Until that partnership, India stared at the prospect of being bowled out for under 100 runs on the board (Varun Aaron was scalped by Chris Woakes when the score read 90) Indian famed batting line up was exposed by the pace quartet of England (Anderson, Broad, Jordan and Woakes). For once, the backup bowlers en-cashed on the good work done by the opening bowlers Anderson and Broad. Jordan and Woakes shared 6 wickets between them. England were relentless. It was top quality bowling and toothless batting from the majority of the Indians.

Murali Vijay labored to a 64 ball 18, and when he was dismissed  a similar script started to enfold as was at Manchester. On a pitch like this, it helps to spend some time at the crease. Things ease out, bowlers tire, and one can hope to cling on and play a long hand. Only Dhoni (209 minutes), Murali Vijay (92 minutes) and Ishant Sharma (71 minutes) stayed for more than 60 minutes at the crease. Ishant's effort was laudable. Vijay once again looked determined to play a long hand. The strokemakers fell around him in a heap all perishing to nothing strokes. Gambhir edging one while leaving a ball (his first ball !!). Pujara bamboozled right through his defence (I suspect a glaring lack of confidence with the way he has been getting dismissed). Rahane playing into the hands of Jordan offering a difficult return catch. Kohli came and went. And, by the time Vijay departed, it was time for me to switch off the idiot box and do something else (more worthwhile, eh)

England came out to bat hoping to avoid any damage and they did achieve that, albeit with a generous doze of edges and flirtations outside the off stump. Even Stuart Binny in his two overs looked like getting a edge from Cook's willow. But it was not to be, and England ended at 62/0 making it entirely their day. Sam Robson looked more focused and intent between him and Cook. The Australian born batsman looks like a batsman with a good compact technique and a determined approach. He may be ungainly but has had a good start to his test career with a best of 127 earlier this year and is expected to stop the musical chair at the top of the order in pursuit of finding a successor to Andrew Strauss. (England have already experimented with Nick Compton, Michael Carberry et al)

Expect some fire from the likes of Ishant, Bhuvi and Varun Aaron tommorrow in the morning half. It all depends on how England openers weather the storm. A lot will be expected of Ishant. He used the short ball stuff to good effect in the Lords test to achieve his career best figures of 7/64. What will he do at the Oval. If the openers go back early, India will have the onus on themselves to make a match of it. Otherwise, I am afraid, this is going to be another 3 or 4 day affair.

All Eyes on the Oval

As I started writing this post, a sense of deja vu struck me. On the eve of the last test, I was gripped with what would be going on in Dhoni's mind. He is a shrewd lad, despite all the criticism around his bland predictive moves on the field. I wondered which new move will he come out with. What new moves will he make at the onset. Drop Jadeja, bring in Ashwin? Drop Shikhar, bring in Gambhir? Or open with Pujara and Vijay and have both Ashwin and Jadeja play. Or reinstate Binny as the all rounder more for his promising batting abilities. Ironically, the same set of dilemnas still hold for the Captain and the coach on the eve of this match.

Ashwin has looked more reassured with his batting, but he is not in the team for his batting. Kohli is, but he is perhaps as some media reports suggest distracted from the game allegedly due to the presence of Ms Anushka Sharma. His lack of runs must be frustrating from within, and I hope he does not implode before the World Cup next year in Australia and New Zealand. I bet my money on Vijay and Pujara to fire in atleast one of the innings along with Rahane. The three have looked the best batsmen on this tour. If Dhoni gets Dhawan back (looks unlikely inspite of the brief stay of Gambhir at the crease in both innings of the last test) into the paying XI, then he must be thinking of an extra batsman. Bad Move. I still feel Pujara would make for a good opener. Vijay and Pujara open followed by Kohli and Rahane at 3 and 4 respectively. Slot 5 is a gamble. Naman Ojha? The lad has been shoved into the squad for some reason. He was in tremendous form against a dangerous Australia A side last month. Shikhar Dhawan? Yes. Shikhar is an attacking option and takes the attack to the opposition. If he manages to get past the initial hickups he may be an ideal fix. And finally Rohit. He has been touted as the talent to watch out by none other but Sachin Tendulkar, but does he inspire the confidence? True, he has a double hundred in One Dayers, and he can switch gears too. He has batted at 5 or 6 all his Test career for Team India. Dhoni ? Yes, if Binny plays. Jadeja should get one more chance. He has been the most prolific wicket taker for India in the recent past but has not batted consistently. Remember, he has multiple triple hundreds in First Class.

Talking of bowlers, Varun Aaron and Bhuvi lead the attack. If Ishant is fit he plays. (he plays even if he is half fit, chuckle !!) If he isnt, then Ishwar Pandey should get the nod. It is high time he gets a chance. A solid performer at the domestic level. Easy action, decent pace and very accurate.

But the obstacle to a positive result for Team India at the Oval shall also be hugely dependent on the way England approach the game. Would they start playing for a draw from Day 2? Cook is likely to retain the winning squad unless ofcourse if Broad doesnt take the field owing to his injury due to Varun Aaron's beamer from the last game. England might tinker with the opening slot or the position of a seamer. But it would be needless for a team combination that has dug its feet well into this tournament.

It is difficult to expect India to have a dramatic change in fortunes in the final series levelling duel. At best, they can expect to salvage a draw. But then this is Cricket !! Lets see which team comes out all guns blazing.

Team India falter again with zero gumption

As I had some guests at home I did not know until 2200 hrs IST what is the state of the test match at Old Trafford. Little did I know that the match was already over. India's top order had been decimated with zero gumption and once again Moeen Ali was the the wrecker in chief. As the series has progressed, Moeen Ali has moved from being derided as a part time bowler to the leading wicket takers in the tournament. Even the great Graeme Swann would have been proud of what Moeen has achieved uptil now in the series. 19 wickets in four tests, and marginally behind the leading wicket taker in the test series, Anderson (21) ! On the other hand Bhuvi has been waging a lone battle from Team India with 18 wickets.

But it is not the bowling which is the culprit. The collective batting failure and lack of both application and grit has cost India the last 2 tests and the chance to win an away test series. Which is very rare for Team India.

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, Gambhir's inclusion was never going to be an elixir for Team India. True, the opening pair has not weathered many opening spells in the recent past. A good opening stand with no damage for 20 overs means there is a less nervous middle order. However, between a Shikhar Dhawan and Gautam Gambhir, Dhawan has looked better. Both are not in the best of form. All these years India had a voracious marauder in the form of Virender Sehwag who changed the color of the match in one session alone. Alas, he is past his prime too !! I believe the true culprits of the batting failures have been the opening pair. Dhoni needs to find an answer soon. Else India needs to ready itself for another impending defeat and another away series loss. That would also mean Dhoni's detractors would bay for his blood and he might lose the test captaincy !!

The only plus in this match for India has been the way Varun Aaron has bowled. He has become sharper and the 3 wickets he produced were so good to watch. If he maintains his fitness, he is a good asset for the future. I hope he doesnt lose his speed to compensate for accuracy. So many bowlers have been wasted in the past like that - Ajit Agarkar, Irfan Pathan, RP Singh, Munaf Patel et al.

Team India needs to pull up their socks for the Oval Test now. There is no point in drowning in negative feelings and critique. A match has ended. Move on, prepare for the next. End on a high, and level the series. Stop tinkering with the bowling. Fielding (too many dropped catches mean England were left off the noose) and Off stump batting needs to improve with more gumption.

Cricket Utopia: Weather spoils the day at Manchester, elsewhere Sa...

Cricket Utopia: Weather spoils the day at Manchester, elsewhere Sa...: Well we anticipated so much yesterday, but it was not to be. Bell fell for a well made 58 and looked good to complete a second ton in succe...

Travelogue: Saputara - Gujarat's only hillstation

Travelogue: Saputara - Gujarat's only hillstation: Well, I thought of writing this blog for the benefit of all who are wondering whether to go to Saputara for a weekend trip or not. I did no...

Weather spoils the day at Manchester, elsewhere Sanga's ton propels him to greatness.

Well we anticipated so much yesterday, but it was not to be. Bell fell for a well made 58 and looked good to complete a second ton in successive tests. On the other hand, looks like Joe Root is determined to get a big one and close all escape routes for India, the weather notwithstanding. India would do itself no harm if they can get both Buttler and Root out early tomorrow. Bhuvi as usual bowled well and surprise surprise Varun Aaron impressed all in his brief spell of play. Ishant might be squirming and cursing his injury tonight.

Elsewhere, the old Srilankan workhorse Kumar Sangakkara completed another test ton, his 37th, to  move past another legend of test cricket, Rahul Dravid on the list of Most Hundreds in a Career. Dravid amassed 36 centuries in his illustrious career. Sachin Tendulkar is obviously sitting pretty with 51 hundreds followed by Jacques Kallis (45) and Ricky Ponting (41) both retired and not moving up on that list. With the kind of form Sanga is in, he might be in sight of Ponting's number as well in some time. Sanga has got to these many hundreds in just 127 matches as against the 164 Dravid had played. This in other words means that Sanga has a better career average (58.8) than Dravid and infact any one in the top 10 in the list of Most Hundreds in a Test Career. The only other active batsman in the Top 10 is fellow Srilankan Mahela Jayawardane (at 8th) with 34 hundreds. Sunil Gavaskar (34), Brian Lara (34), Steve Waugh (32) and Mathew Hayden (30) complete the list.

It is interesting to know that amongst the active cricketers, the ones who are expected to shake this list in the near future are Shivnarine Chanderpaul (29), Micheal 'Pup' Clarke (27) and Alistair Cook (25). Neither of Clarke or Chanderpaul have enough cricket left in them to emulate Ponting or Lara as the leading hundreds amasser for Australia and West Indies. However, Cook to me seems to be destined to be the greatest English batsman of all time especially in this regard. Only Ian Bell (21) has a realistic chance of beating his record and no English batsman has as many hundreds as Cook and will not have as many hundreds for a very long time. So in my mind Alistair Cook is already a legend. And as an Indian fan, I dread he has many years left in him, he is only 29 after all !

England will keep winning if Bell and Cook continue with their century making exploits. For tommorrow however it would be Joe Root's chance to get his 5th ton in 20 test matches with a best effort of 200*. Onus is on India to take back the game in their hands. 

India sway like an old bridge in disrepair

As I mentioned in my previous post, the Retro Stride is not going to help. So. Sigh. Gambhir's inclusion did not help things much, and soon we will see Ashwin getting hammered mercilessly. I would pray he fares well and England gets bowled out within 300 if we have to make a match of it. India folded up for a meagre much under par total to wield any influence on this test. Only a brave and sustained session by session campaign will help from here onwards. Dhoni is the key. The right bowling changes, sharp fielding and some luck may help.

Talking of Gambhir, he would be the one man I would be watching out for. He would be the most eager to perform in the second innings and given his short duration at the crease, he would atleast play with caution in the second innings to give himself a chance for a big knock. Pujara troubles me. His lack of runs and his habit of looking in touch and suddenly getting out is baffling. This trait was so epitomized by the talented Yuvraj. His backlift and the swagger was so good to watch. He looked supremely confident and made you feel he might repeat his six hitting blitzkrieg every time he came out to bat. Vijay disappointed me as I expected him to show up some resistance. The brief stay of Rahane was delightful. I wish he had gone further and got to some personal landmarks and propel India to 250. Dhoni was at his cautious but belligerent best, although he had a dreadful show running from the other end of the crease. Six ducks, 4 of which were Top order batsmen. Even Jadeja has triple hundreds in first class cricket to his name which is no mean feat. So, was it lack of application or good fast bowling by the seasoned Anderson and Broad. Both.

India won the toss and chose to bat, maybe to avoid batting last on an unfavorable pitch. Good move, but little did Dhoni realise that the bowler friendly pitches and fresh bowling legs would mean a tricky first two sessions. And tricky it was as India swayed like an old bridge in disrepair under the weight of the rampaging duo of Broad and Anderson with Jordan and Woakes as backup. By lunch time the back was already broken and India was as TOI headline stated in Deep Trouble. Can India wriggle out of the deep trouble or not will depend on how India bowl today.

Varun Aaron has looked good and Bhuvi has looked like taking wickets all throughout the series besides being stingy with the runs. I wish Ashwin and Jadeja join the party too.

It makes for an exciting day of test cricket.