India’s tour of the UK hasn’t quite gone as expected so far. Having won both T20s against Ireland, the team unexpectedly slumped to a massive 7-wicket defeat in the Test match at Edgbaston and had to square a series.
Last year they were leading 2-1 when the series was suspended because of Covid fears. This year, the tables were turned on India.
Having been in control of the match for the better part of four days, India failed to consolidate the advantage in their second innings, leaving the door open for England to make a comeback. Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow then made light of a difficult run chase with a rollicking, unbeaten 269 runs partnership to make it a remarkable four wins in four Tests this summer.
Next up is the three-match T20 series against England, and the question being asked is whether the Test match defeat will have any bearing in this contest for the two teams
The two formats are vastly different in texture, tenor, skill sets needed, approach et al. Because of this, players used in the two formats are largely different. There was a time when a bulk of the team would be composed of players who could straddle both because of their experience and ability. Not any longer.
Both formats have moved increasingly towards specialists, this has become more pronounced over time as the format has evolved. Also, the modern game demands managing workload of key players, which means even those possessing the ability to excel in both formats may be rested.
For instance, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli would feature in both India’s Test and T20 teams, but lately they’ve played intermittently. In England’s case, prolific batsman Joe Root and pace maestros Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad have been out of the T20 scheme of things for a while now.
Usually, captains in the formats are also different. Rohit Sharma, like Pakistan’s Babar Azam, is a rarity in contemporary cricket in that they captain in all three formats. England too have given the T20 captaincy to Jos Buttler, not champion all-rounder Ben Stokes who has been so successful in the Tests this summer.
Like with apples and oranges, it is banal, if not flawed to compare Tests and T20s. On the face of it, therefore, India’s defeat in the fifth Test at Edgbaston should have little bearing on the upcoming series. And yet, as is well established in sport, positive sentiment and confidence matters and can influence outcomes.
The mood in English cricket is highly upbeat currently. Even if obliquely, England will carry the psychological advantage of the Edgbaston win in this series. India, on the other hand, will be under pressure as they seek redemption in a different format against players whom they haven’t seen on this tour.
Root (doesn’t usually play this format), Bairstow and Stokes (rested), India’s main tormentors at Edgbaston are not in the England T20 squad. but that does not necessarily make things much easier for India. Butler is arguably the world’s most destructive batsman in this format. His opening partner is Jason Roy, another high-voltage strokemaker.
Also in the batting line-up are Dawid Malan, at one point in time the world’s no.1 T20 batter, and Liam Livingstone, whose unfettered approach, as evidenced in the IPL, can make him impossible to contain when he gets going. Add to these top order players, seasoned all-rounders Moeen Ali and Sam Curran, and England’s batting assumes formidable proportion.
The bowling too is loaded with proven T20 players. Apart from Moeen and Curran there is the pace trio of Chris Jordan, David Willey and Tymal Mills offering skill, variety and depth to the attack.
India will have to be at their best to upstage this England side. Rohit Sharma’s return is a major boost. He’s been the country’s best all format player for a few years now, and his rich captaincy experience brings high value too. In both capacities Rohit was missed badly at Edgbaston.
K L Rahul, still recovering from injury, is not playing this series which is obviously a loss. Rahul had been in roaring form in the IPL. His presence at the top of the order in tandem with Rohit was one of the reasons why India was such a feared T20 side.
Interestingly, Kohli, Bumrah, Pant and Jadeja, who featured in the Edgbaston Test, will miss the first T20 and joining the squad for the remaining two. Presumably, this is to manage their workload which opens up the opportunity to try out some other players.
From the composition of the squad that played Ireland and from which players will be chosen for the three matches against England, India’s selectors and team management seem prepared to give a clutch of players more opportunity to prove their credentials.
This has worked to the benefit of Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Dinesh Karthik who, after a string of strong performances, have gotten closer to a place in the World Cup squad. Some like Sanju Samson and, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh who looked ahead in the race back have fallen behind a bit.
Pace sensation Umran Malik has kept his prospects alive with a couple of fine performances lately on this tour. He is being talked off as an asset on the hard and bouncy pitches in Australia and It remains to be seen if he will be included in any of the matches against England.
India, of course, is not the only country experimenting with players in preparation for the World Cup. But where most others, particularly Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, have a large core team already in place, India are still seeking the right fits for various positions and roles and roles that will be needed in alongdrawn tournament of this magnitude.
How many such questions will be answered in the three-match series against England is to be seen.
