Lush green fields including the pitch, those V-necked sweaters, classical field positions, batsman playing classical shots, and the gentlemen spectators clapping in unison; this is the true identity of England’s test Cricket. And on this mother land of cricket five-match test series would commence from 9th of July. Playing conditions heavily determine which team would get advantage. Be it atmosphere, weather, pitches and strategies. Of these, the main determinant is the 22-yard strip; the pitch. The British batsmen always fail to read the spin and bounce of the red wickets of India. They often look confounded to judge the flight and variations of tailor-made spin bowlers. On the other side, plight of our batsmen does not have different story. They too are susceptible against swing and pace, trademark of English bowling. And green wickets further broaden the vulnerability.
We all know what has happened in the last series in England. We went there with a tag of world champions with the expectation that we would dominate the British and win the series. Instead, we conceded defeats, heavy defeats. We were not even in the contest, let alone looking for a win. The string of injuries, lack of cohesive bowling attack and fragmented team unit further added misery to India’s descending performance. It was the biggest flop show of India’s overseas performances. Assaulted by this performance, Dhoni looked too much eager to pounce on England in the reciprocal series on the home soil. He demanded to lay down rank turners in expection that his spin-spiders would hunt the English players. But the strategy boomeranged, and we again surrendered to Cook’s army which grabbed ‘dugana lagan.’
This time too, the prospects are not much bright. Batting section is too much dependent on super-power Kohli, patient Pujara, and dissent Vijay. Rahane and Dhawan are yet to settle in their roles. Gambhir and Rohit are still reluctant to change their habit of chasing the off-stump deliveries. As far as Dhoni is concerned, everybody knows how much he is interested in playing test cricket on green pitches. His recent performances on foreign wickets have proved weak link at no. 6. This is the position which significantly affects team’s overall run-tally. Ishant, Buvi, Shami supported by a spinner; does this bowling unit have the required penetrating power, the amount of venom to develop the thrust or sting to snatch twenty wickets for winning the test matches? I suspect. We have lost two consecutive test series against England. Will this be the rise of the fallen for India or will British extort ‘tiguna lagan?’
