England collapse to a shock defeat
A look at the tactics that led to England's loss, Law 41.6 and India's greatest ever test side.
Day 5 of the Lord’s test started with England as firm favorites at 45% and India’s chances and draw neck and neck as per WinViz. Among all - experts, commentators, and fans - it was widely accepted that the pitch wasn’t doing enough for India to defend the overnight lead of 154.
And it wasn’t just them, the Indian team felt that too and that’s why they were pushing Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma to ask the umpires to check the light towards the end of Day 4. India’s only hope (Pant) was dismissed within the first 5 overs of the day. And yet India managed to pull off a comfortable victory.
Where did it go wrong for England?
During England’s 1st innings, Jasprit Bumrah bounced James Anderson a few times and even hit him on the body. Commentators believed that in consideration of Law 41.6 (screenshot below), the umpire might ask Bumrah to stop doing that. While the umpire did nothing, it seemed to have riled up James Anderson and the English team.
So when Jasprit Bumrah walked in the 90th over of India’s 2nd innings, the English players were ready to give it back - verbally and with the bowling. The field setting and lengths bowled (with a 7-over old Duke ball) to Bumrah - a batter who averaged a bit over 3 - were simply shocking. India’s lead was less than 180 when he walked in and yet within Bumrah’s first 10 balls, there were occasions when only 3 fielders were saving the single and there was no one in the slips.
Bumrah was hit on the helmet twice (which is fair game) and there were about 20 other bouncers bowled to Shami and Bumrah. While bowling the odd bouncer is an important way of setting up a batter, the fact is England just didn’t bowl enough at the stumps and around the 4th stump.
(Source - @TheCricketArk on Twitter)
Jimmy Anderson, the master with the duke ball, didn’t bowl until the pair had added 41 runs in 10 overs. And even when he finally bowled, it took him just 9 balls to whip out bouncers (two back to back). This allowed India to set a target of 272 in 60 overs. A win for England was obviously out of the picture, but India’s chances looked slim. But India’s 4-pace attack was swinging the ball beautifully throughout the first 30 overs as England collapsed to 75/5 including the key wicket of Joe Root.
While India’s chances of winning the test had increased substantially at this point, a draw was still a likely outcome. Light and weather permitting, England had to bat out 30 overs with Buttler, Ali, Curran, Robinson to bat time and Wood and Anderson for support if needed.
Many felt India should have declared at or just before lunch since their lead was already 250. And that skepticism was valid - in 46 defeats for the home team batting last since 2011 (only top 8 test teams considered), only 13 times visitors have managed to bowl them out within 60 overs. 7 of those 13 occasions included West Indies or Sri Lanka who have been weaker for the past decade and one included a minefield of a pitch (India v/s Australia at Pune 2016). On this Lord’s pitch which hadn’t deteriorated too much, India pulled off a heist and it was all because they now have 4 relentless fast bowlers who can seam and swing the ball.
Two cents on Law 41.6
Cricket has plenty of subjective laws and then there are other “standards” like “Spirit of Cricket” that some fans want teams to abide by. These are the things that complicate an already complicated sport. Law 41.6 certainly falls in this category and here’s why - “consideration for the skill of the striker, by their speed”. Although the umpiring standards in world cricket today are top-notch, do umpires have the ability to check speed after each ball? If they do, what speed is considered dangerous? Wouldn’t that vary from Gabba to Galle? If the batter at the crease is relatively new or a debutant, how would the umpire figure out their relative skill?
Don’t get me wrong - I understand why this law is there. The Bodyline series of 1932-33 is an example of where this would be useful. But there is just too much left for interpretation and in the post-Phil Hughes era, we should ideally just ban bouncers to be bowled at batters batting from 9-11. If a team has a good batter at 9, they will have an advantage, but then they have one today as well.
The greatest Indian team ever. No questions asked.
In 2018, Ravi Shastri claimed that the current Indian team was the best test team produced by India in the last 15-20 years. He received a lot of flak since the statement came after India had lost the Southampton test of 2018 (and the series 1-3) to England. Everything from selection to field placements and bowling changes by skipper Virat Kohli has been viewed with skepticism by these critics.
Shastri was right even then as India had won 9 tests and 3 series away from home just prior to that statement, a record much better than any Indian team of yesteryears. Since then India has won in Australia TWICE (no Asian team has done it even once), won again in West Indies, lost to New Zealand away, and then also lost the WTC Final against the same opponent.
If you are looking at the odd losses only, you are missing the whole picture. India has a pace attack, with varied skills and styles, that every team (even in the era of fast bowling) with the exception of New Zealand would be envious of. In addition, two of the finest test spinners are also in India’s line-up. Has India ever had such depth and ability to take the opposition’s 20 wickets? Definitely not.
That win at Gabba was lucky (the chances of winning at the start of Day 5 was just 1%), but India has again managed to pull off the improbable at Lord’s. That’s what champion sides (like Australia of 2003 WC) do. Some consider the South Africa series at the end of the year the final challenge for this team - but regardless of what happens then (or in England), it’s clear that they are the best team in the world and best Indian team ever, no questions asked.
Perhaps, the aptest description for this Indian team (and how some of the critics feel about them) came from commentator Vivek Razdan -
Usse guman hai ki meri udaan kuch kum hai, Mujhe yaqeen hai ki yeh aasman kuch kum hai.