- Team India is in a transitional mode, with the retirement of some of the stalwarts of the game like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, is stating the obvious. New captain Shubhman Gill was handed over a humongous responsibility in not only shoring up the fortunes of the team in transition but also leading the batting charge against the hosts in challenging conditions. One of the most discussed issues leading up to the selection of the team for the tour of England was the availability of ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah. He was selected and earmarked to play in three Tests as part of the workload management since the pacer has had a history of back injuries, restricting his continuity to lead the attack.
PC: News24
- Team India surprised the pundits in the first Test at Leeds by putting up a great fight. Unfortunately, fights alone will not ensure crossing the finishing line, as the visitors lost a golden opportunity to start the series on a winning note by conceding key moments. This allowed Team England to put it across the visitors to go one-up in the series. Amazingly, the second Test at Edgbaston was won by Team India to level the series. The momentum going into the third Test should have been with the visitors. However, what transpired in the Lord’s Test must have left die-hard Indian fans frustrated. Losing a match from such a strong winning position would rankle for a long time to come. A modest target of 192 eventually proved too much for Team India to overhaul.
PC: Sportstar – The Hindu
- Undoubtedly, the Test produced an outstanding interplay of quality contest between the bat and the ball. Every connoisseur would gladly vouch that both teams showcased true skills expected in a Test match. Top-notch performances by players from both sides ensured the match would be stretched to the last session of the final day. Unexpectedly, Team India could not sustain the pressure exerted by the hosts and succumbed to losing the match by 22 runs. So what went wrong for Team India? For once, captain Shubhman Gill failed to produce big runs after his heroic performance in the second Test. Though KL Rahul scored a hundred, he could have scored a daddy hundred. Rishabh Pant getting run out at the stroke of lunch in the first innings proved decisive.
PC: NewsBytes
- Though bowlers performed admirably in restricting the hosts to 192 in the second innings, a target that should have been overhauled quite comfortably, Indian batters failed in rising to the occasion. Heroic effort of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja deserves special mention. Nonetheless, Jadeja was unsuccessful in ensuring that Team India emerged winners. His valiant effort was not enough. In hindsight, Jadeja could have shown more attacking intent that may have altered the eventual outcome. Karun Nair looks short of confidence, failing to convert decent starts into something substantial. Will Team India level the series in the crucial fourth Test? For that to happen, Jasprit Bumrah must play the Test, and selected players must pull their weight. Hopefully, they will.
