The moment has finally arrived....all the talks, speculations n controversies come to an end & let the matches begin....& we turn on the television sets & wait for the coin to be tossed....Crunch time....
Like two former champion heavyweights now consigned to the undercard, India and England come into this series desperate to recapture former glories. Both have declined sharply since respectively attaining the No. 1 Test ranking and, while South Africa and Australia have taken top billing, they find themselves at a crossroads: win this series and they earn another shot at the big time; lose and they face some awkward questions.
How do you assess a cricketing rivalry? By how well matched the two protagonists are? Through head-to-head numbers? Or is the whole concept of rivalry something more visceral, to do with the intensity and excitement that make encounters unforgettable?
At first glance, the series should not be close. India are unbeaten at home in eight years; England have not won a series in India for 28 years and, since then, have only won one of 11 Tests. England's record against spin is hardly promising, either.
Yet, despite all that, England may never have a better opportunity to beat India in India. It is not just that India are a side in transition - they have already lost VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid - but the form and fitness of several of remaining players is under scrutiny.
Perhaps that explains why India have taken some remarkable risks in the run-up to this series. The policy of denying England access to high-quality spin or turning wickets does mean that England will go into the Test lacking match practise in one key part of the game, but it has also allowed them the chance to gain form and confidence. Every one of the top seven has passed 50 at least once.
Each year, you see at least a dozen pedestrian Test hundreds that won’t be remembered the following week. Laxman played two of the greatest innings of the past decade – 73 against Australia at Mohali when he could barely walk, leave alone bend, and a 96 at Kingsmead, when no other batsman crossed 40. Many Test centuries aren’t fit to be mentioned in the same sentence as those two innings.
But what if England set a challenging first innings total and utilise the crumbling pitch when they bowl? What if England's seamers gain as much from the surface as India's spinners? What if Swann enjoys the best of the conditions? India's tactics are not those of a side that truly believes in its own ability. If they did, they would surely prepare the best possible cricketing surface and back themselves to prevail.
History tends not to recall subtleties. Accepted wisdom tells us that England were crushed in the UAE and thrashed by South Africa, but that is not the full story. They might, should even, have beaten Pakistan had they not capitulated so feebly against spin - they were set just 145 in the second Test and dismissed Pakistan out for less than 100 in the third.
Similarly, they went into the final session of the second and third Tests against South Africa with potentially a winning positions. For all the criticism they have attracted of late, it is worth remembering that if they win this series handsomely and Australia defeat South Africa, England will return to No. 1 in the Test rankings. They have not fallen so far as some suggest.
England have suffered one major reverse on this tour. The loss of Steven Finn, by some distance the quickest bowler on either side, deprives England of a key method of attack. While he should be back to full fitness for the second Test in Mumbai, England will be reliant on the subtler skills of Tim Bresnan in the meantime. But it bodes well for them that towards the end of the final warm-up game, Bresnan appeared to have recovered both his nip and his ability to reverse swing the ball.
The crux of the series, though, remains England's ability to play spin. If they do not improve substantially on their efforts in the UAE, they will be beaten. While they went into that series complacent and under prepared, they go into this one focussed and informed.
While, in the long term, they will need to review their policy - albeit a policy they will not admit to having - of not allowing "mystery" spin in English domestic cricket and, perhaps, look at the surfaces Championship games are played upon if they are really to master their spin issues, they are as well prepared as any England touring party to India has been. As Alastair Cook put it: "We're ready."
There are other concerns. There is the catching, there is Stuart Broad's lack of potency in the series against South Africa and there is the doubt about the strength of the renewed team spirit. Of all those issues it is the slip catching that should provoke most anxiety. Cook, for his many admirable qualities, has rarely looked assured in the cordon and the decision to place him at first slip is a mistake.
Whereas, India are confident. They seem a settled side with Viru n Gauti opening, Pujara at no.3, the great Sachin at 4, followed by Virat, Yuvi, MSD, Ashwin, Zaheer, Ojha & Yadav. This team has the steel to fight it out and bring home the series quite easily. The only thing they need to guard against is the complecancy. With the amount of talent in the team, India need to do their basics right & the rest will follow. Easier said than done though, the boys are up against a much improved England team capable of causing a huge turn around.
Similarly, they went into the final session of the second and third Tests against South Africa with potentially a winning positions. For all the criticism they have attracted of late, it is worth remembering that if they win this series handsomely and Australia defeat South Africa, England will return to No. 1 in the Test rankings. They have not fallen so far as some suggest.
England have suffered one major reverse on this tour. The loss of Steven Finn, by some distance the quickest bowler on either side, deprives England of a key method of attack. While he should be back to full fitness for the second Test in Mumbai, England will be reliant on the subtler skills of Tim Bresnan in the meantime. But it bodes well for them that towards the end of the final warm-up game, Bresnan appeared to have recovered both his nip and his ability to reverse swing the ball.
The crux of the series, though, remains England's ability to play spin. If they do not improve substantially on their efforts in the UAE, they will be beaten. While they went into that series complacent and under prepared, they go into this one focussed and informed.
While, in the long term, they will need to review their policy - albeit a policy they will not admit to having - of not allowing "mystery" spin in English domestic cricket and, perhaps, look at the surfaces Championship games are played upon if they are really to master their spin issues, they are as well prepared as any England touring party to India has been. As Alastair Cook put it: "We're ready."
There are other concerns. There is the catching, there is Stuart Broad's lack of potency in the series against South Africa and there is the doubt about the strength of the renewed team spirit. Of all those issues it is the slip catching that should provoke most anxiety. Cook, for his many admirable qualities, has rarely looked assured in the cordon and the decision to place him at first slip is a mistake.
Whereas, India are confident. They seem a settled side with Viru n Gauti opening, Pujara at no.3, the great Sachin at 4, followed by Virat, Yuvi, MSD, Ashwin, Zaheer, Ojha & Yadav. This team has the steel to fight it out and bring home the series quite easily. The only thing they need to guard against is the complecancy. With the amount of talent in the team, India need to do their basics right & the rest will follow. Easier said than done though, the boys are up against a much improved England team capable of causing a huge turn around.
Overall, this series will be a cliffhanger, a mouth-watering epic clash! lets wait n watch. Lets not try labelling it as a revenge but lets savour the moment and cherish our men in white. Lets hope though that at the end of the series, We have a winner who deserved to win & may India deserve to win this! As a true cricket follower, I wish we get to see KP bat with flair, Trott defend hard, Anderson get the reverse swing but at the same time, I hope MSD has the trophy in his hand! Come on India! Lets be hostile & win the series with a bang!!!!
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