India vs England: Kia Oval Test Match Bulletin

Kia Oval Test BulletinAug 23 2011

The only thing that has not happened so far in this 4 match series also came up. India couldn’t avoid follow-on even after rain interruptions on odd days of the test match. A series dominated by England batsmen, the only silver lining was the 3 centuries in 4 matches by Rahul Dravid. England would have definitely learnt that its not Tendulkar but Dravid is called ‘The Wall‘. As for India, it would definitely take more than ‘Half an hour‘ to ponder on the collective failure. The Pataudi trophy is now in possession of England but it just looked like the trophy has to search for its possessor rather than the England team lifting it. Just like how spectators near/under the sight screen kept on moving without bothered about the batsman. Wonder what would have happened in India if the sponsors are given more importance than the actual match. The way ‘Tiger’ Pataudi was ignored at the award ceremony and the way England celebrated only with the sponsor’s trophy speaks volumes on how much importance is actually being given to something called the spirit of the game.

Day 5 – 8 runs short

A Anderson-Panesar method of saving the test is required from Tendulkar and Mishra but only that it

has to happen 7 wickets earlier. India did prove they are a fighting unit and both Tendulkar and Mishra were defying the England bowlers. Tendulkar looked to be well on course to his 100th and Mishra was confident enough that he will reap those runs leaked.

A couple of dropped chances ensured that Tendulkar sailed through to the 90s for the first time this series with a stiff challenge from Mishra who looked to overtake Tendulkar every run. This partnership also sparked the idea of what ample practice matches in alien conditions can do. Indian batting came out of the dark and England bowlers toiled.

Though Tendulkar played Swann cautiously, he couldn’t avoid Bresnan’s once in a while must play delivery and he was ruled out leg before wicket on 91. India were just 29 runs short of that follow on target to be erased but India fell down in a heap and reminded the 90s Indian team which collapse at the fall of Tendulkar. India fell short by 8 runs giving England the innings victory confirming their supremacy.

Raina collected his pair in a couple of days and Dhoni didn’t show any signs that he learnt anything out of his earlier dismissals. But a bold Ishant Sharma review showed that India are not there to succumb only to surrender when Sreesanth, irrespective of the need of the hour, tried to go over the top every ball in an hurry to erase the deficit and lost his middle stump to give Swann a 6-fer.

Day 4 – India get to 300 and follow-on

A day worth to remember more than Rahul Dravid’s 35th century. It’s a day when India touched the 300 run mark, of course in an innings, in 7 tests post world cup. But the celebrations were not destined to happen as India couldn’t cross the barrier even by one run thereby denying a 150 for Dravid who remained unbeaten on 146.

At last, a productive session from India though a wicket was lost. The morning session started of with expectation that India will definitely follow-on and one could see most of the Indian players batting at the nets prior to the start. But Dravid and Dhoni started of the day nicely, chipping away without much risk and later Amit Mishra played some decent shots and also hit the lone six of the innings when he hit Swann just the ball before lunch. Gambhir’s late entry post lunch didn’t prove to be any useful for India as he too folded with the tail with a little hard hitting from RP Singh leaving Dravid stranded at the other end.

Dravid carried the bat through the innings but couldn’t for the day. The in form Dravid came out to continue his innings from naught as India started with their follow-on innings. Crucial junctures passed by as England aimed for Dravid’s wicket which was evident from Anderson going for 19 runs from his first 2 overs with the new ball before tea. It looked like India are using the batting surface to their advantage but when Swann was introduced, he claimed for Dravid caught at short leg only to be turned down when Dravid confirmatively used DRS. There were many shouts for caught behind and at short leg but England didn’t have that courage and evidence to go for DRS. But not long, they do took a successful review when Dravid was finally given out in a controversial way when Television replays didn’t show any proof of Dravid nicking the ball.

Laxman’s was yet another sorrow state as his off stump was uprooted by a James Anderson delivery and the stump kept on spinning as a proof that the pitch did hold some swing. With India yet again on verge of losing by an innings at close of Day 4, Tendulkar and Mishra saw off the remaining overs to end at 129/3 with still trailing by 162 runs to England’s first innings total.

Day 3 – England constructs and destructs

England went on constructing their mountain and didn’t seem to finish up in the near future. When the forecast promised no rains, just as on day 1, rains took charge at lunch after 33 overs were bowled in the first session. England decided to declare and then rains eased out forcing India to battle the remaining 33 overs for the day against England’s mammoth 591/6, thanks to Ian Bell‘s unbeaten maiden double hundred and Pietersen’s 19th test century the previous day.

For a change this time it was Graeme Swann on song and 3 quick wickets towards the end of the stipulated 33 overs made it evident that India are pushed to a position to avoid a follow-on the next day along with avoiding a white wash. The best from Swann was Suresh Raina‘s dismissal when he was stumped after facing 29 balls and became the joint longest Indian for a duck out in a test innings along with Irfan Pathan.

Yet again Rahul Dravid was sent in as replacement opener as Gambhir suffered a blow when he fell down running backwards trying to catch Pietersen. Sehwag started of with his typical strokes and just after 2 boundaries headed back to the pavilion in the first over. On a pitch meant to turn, England seamers extracted life leaving India struggling at 103/5.

Day 2 – Pietersen and Bell roll on

A day when Pietersen and Bell rolled on. Sun shined bright and expectation that India will love this, shined even brighter. Indians proved that they never change. Once again they didn’t capitalize on early wickets and failed to keep up the intensity and allowed Pietersen and Bell to dictate terms.

After a tight contest between bat and ball in the first session, it was a race between Pietersen and Bell from post lunch to reach their individual triple digit milestones and England raced on to yet another day of scoring 350+ runs. Pietersen though got a reprive prior to lunch when the edge didn’t carry to Raina and once after tea after posting his century when Gambhir couldn’t hold on to a splendid backward running only to fall back hard on his head.

Proving the early signs of the day false, Pietersen attacked all Indian bowlers and he batted like there is no next day. The ruthlessness of both Bell and Pietersen showed how focused their minds are and how fit they are to continue throughout the day and both batsmen took to their advantage the poor fielding and field setup from the opposition. Post lunch both batsmen accelerated the run rate and it was evident that another 500+ score is on cards.

Day 1 – England or Rain-Who dominated?

With nothing to gain from this test for England and yet another position in the ranking to be lost by India, the day started with England winning the toss, deciding to bat on a good batting surface despite an overcast condition where no rain is predicted for the day, openers make merry as usual against the listless Indian bowling attack which lacks soul, get on with lunch as interest in the match goes down and finally downpour starts and in the end as Harsha Bhogle rightly pointed out ‘It was a day dominated by nothingness‘.

That one-liner summarizes the day perfectly. Except for one rising delivery from Ishant Sharma which made a piece of Andrew Strauss’s helmet fly away, there is no effort from any other Indian bowler and the most surprising thing was the inclusion of the rusty RP Singh ahead of tried and tested Munaf Patel when Praveen Kumar was ruled unfit at the last moment.

RP Singh’s inclusion though can be justified to the amount of swing that can be generated but he never looked like the one to trouble England openers. His slow paced deliveries wide outside off stump and the batsman never attempting a shot showed how bad Indian pacers are without any determination.