A Series As Old As Time
India England has always been a contested series from both the nations , given their respective prowess in the sport and their deep intertwining history . In the short tour of 3 ODIs , 3 T20s, and 1 Test , the 5-day affair is highly looked forward to by the cricket aficionados and the players themselves . The reason is that it is almost always a great match to watch/play in , as all the players give their best to surpass themselves . This results in memorable performances throughout the history of the match up, including some , but not all , Sachin’s debut century , Ganguly’s exploits in the Alan Border trophy and even the ongoing match .
Batting first , India post a competitive total of 416 runs , compiled mostly by Pant’s quick 146 ( quite on brand to him if I do say so myself ) and a slower yet surely infuriating ( for England) 100 lower down the order by Jadeja . The former set the base as the latter dogged on with the bottom order. Especially Bumrah , who had the time of his batting life at the crease , casually hitting Stuart Broad for 35 runs in an over ( not including the runs from no balls) .
The score would have been higher and probably game winning if James Anderson had not run through the Indian team with a 5 wicket haul to remind India 2 teams play the game . In the second innings England fought back quite valiantly , scoring 284 on a pitch that is worsening to bat on as the time goes on . Unfortunately Bairostow was the only one who got to scoring with a 100 to his name , as Siraj and Bumrah ripped apart England’s mainstay , with Bumrah taking the top 3 for 25 runs only , 10 less than his own score against Stuart Broad! The third and final innings ( as of now ) was a sure victory for England , getting all the Indian batsmen out for 245, setting a target of 378 to chase in 2 odd days. Every bowler apparently received a pep talk , seeing the tight lines they bowled and how they all took a couple of wickets , with captain Ben Stokes leading the way with a 4wicket haul .
As England attempt to chase 378 , this proves to be a very excitable match to follow and certainly something I am looking forward to see in the final 2 days . If we have to take lessons from this match , its that to never count Jadeja out from a game , as he is talented enough to be a pillar of strength whenever his team needs him , and always be wary of the the tenacity of Bumrah. Coming up after a string of mediocre performances , this match showcased why Bumrah is a premier bowler for the Indian team , their ace so to speak , and can even bat in a pinch!
I wish you all a happy week and month ahead !