- Trust me, pure connoisseurs of Test match cricket would be delighted to witness some of the most exhilarating displays of aggressive gamesmanship by the England Test team of late. The way England’s Test cricket team is playing adopting a never seen brand of skillsets, the cricket-crazy fans would not mind one bit at all. Even if it means Team India is at the receiving end too. As you are aware, the last match of the truncated five-match Test series last year courtesy of the pandemic was played at Edgbaston, Birmingham recently with Team India leading 2-1. There was huge anticipation built-up leading up to the Test match with the keenly anticipated contest between the two equally matched outfits.
PC: ICC-Cricket
- However, there was a huge difference in what was eventually dished out during the Test. We all know how Team England was left struggling under the stewardship of coach Chris Silverwood and captain Joe Root before the dashing duo of New Zealander Brendon McCullum took over as the coach and allrounder Ben Stokes was appointed as a new captain. Soon after the duo assumed responsibilities, the turnaround for better in the fortunes of Team England witnessed over the last few weeks is mesmerizing, to say the least. The resultant outcome was the World Test Champions New Zealand were whitewashed 3-0 in the recently concluded Test series.
- The aggressive intent and refreshingly carefree attitude displayed by some of the players have been remarkable. Especially the way batsmen Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root have pulverized the opposition ranks is unbelievable. We were brought up on the theory that the five-day Test match should be played in a watchful manner without hurrying up unless the situation demanded. Welcomingly, the advent of T20 cricket has altered the way players go about their execution in the present times. Adopting aggressive and attacking mode right from the beginning of a Test match is unheard of except maybe the West Indies Team of yore in the 1980s and 90s.
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- In a matter of four Test matches, McCullum and Stokes have completely altered the dynamics of England’s cricket subjugating the opposition with the brutal onslaught and aggressive strategies. Successively chasing targets in the fourth innings of Test cricket is no mean achievement and England has just spectacularly achieved this. Team India too was in the firing line and was brushed aside nonchalantly by the rampaging duo of Root and Bairstow. In hindsight, Team India could have shown a better understanding of the situation whilst batting in both innings. The top-order, save for Rishab Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in the first innings, Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara in the second innings, simply caved in without offering any semblance of resistance or fight.
- Mind you, Team India could have batted out the opposition in the second innings but for some extremely poor shot selection from the batsmen. Credit to England bowlers too for sticking and executing the plans perfectly. The ease with which England chased down 378 to win the match speaks volumes about the confidence with which Bairstow and Root are batting right now. Make no mistake, the brand of cricket being played by England is bound to reinvigorate interest in the five-day format for sure. Team India may have lost the series, but cricket definitely won.
