England need a superhuman effort to come back in series vs India

India pacer Mohammed Siraj celebrates dismissing England’s James Anderson on the fifth and final day of the second Test at Lord’s on August 16. Pic/AFP

Very seldom does it happen in cricket where all 11 players make a significant contribution to a win. Sure, it's a team game and even a couple of runs or maiden overs or some brilliant saves in the field make a difference but what was seen at Lord's was that every Indian player made a contribution that helped the team to register one of the most memorable wins in the history of Indian cricket.

Let's start with the opening batsmen as England captain Joe Root had invited India to bat first after Virat Kohli guessed incorrectly which way the coin was going to fall. The decision to field first was strange as the pitch did not have the same amount of grass as the one in the first Test in Nottingham so the new ball bowlers were not going to get much assistance from the surface.

Solid start

Yes, there was a bit of a cloud cover, but that was not going to make a telling difference. That said, Jimmy Anderson & Co bowled splendidly and got the ball to do stuff off the pitch. This is where the opening partnership of 126 was such a crucial one for India. It not only thwarted the England bowlers, but also laid the foundation for a good score by India.

Rohit Sharma was unlucky to miss a century, but KL Rahul got a classy ton and India ended the first day on 276 for three. That was a solid platform and though India collapsed and were unable to capitalise on that the next morning, Ravindra Jadeja's contribution with the bat ensured that India got past 350. Joe Root batted brilliantly to score a second consecutive century but India's bowlers shared the spoils and restricted England's lead to just 27. Then, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, whose place in the side is questioned if they don't get runs in two or three games, showed just why their experience is so necessary to the side. They came together to stitch a partnership that ensured India didn't collapse and the cherry on the cake was when Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami resolutely stood firm amidst an attempt to injure them and added invaluable runs to take the game away from England.

Not only that, but they delivered the early blows and put paid to England's hopes of saving the game and the lion hearted Mohammed Siraj bowled tirelessly to pick four wickets and seal the win for India. Ishant Sharma had taken crucial wickets in the first innings, so all four bowlers contributed to the win. Kohli got a handy 42 in the first innings and snapped a couple of smart catches too and Rishabh Pant behind the wickets was top-class as well as being his irrepressible self. So that's what is called a total team effort. At the start of the fifth day's play, the general thinking was that England would win the game but on a last-day pitch, even 180 would have been tough as was seen by the team being dismissed for 120 and losing by a big margin.

Too dependent on Root

Their batting depends so much on Root that if he doesn't hold the innings together then the innings comes apart at the seams.

India have dealt a psychological blow to England and it will take a superhuman effort for the home team to come back in the series. Yes, cricket is a game of uncertainties and things can turn around quite dramatically, but for that to happen it will take a miracle.

If I was Root, I would be on the hooter to Ben Stokes and implore him to come back and play. For, he is the kind of impact player who can turn it around for England. Sadly, someone who was born to play the game is unable to do so and that's not just England's misfortune but that of the cricketing world too. For, players like Stokes are once-in-a-generation cricketers.

Professional Management Group