Wanted them to really grovel: Conrad on the timing of declaration

WELL, at least there was one piece of good news. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, usually the two most overworked Indian cricketers whenever the Test team plays, bowled all of five overs between them and nothing after 9.30 AM. Post that, for over five hours, they didn’t bowl.

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

This, though, wasn’t a silver lining in a cloud. It was a silver lining ina Category 5 hurricane. On a day when nothing went right for the hosts — surely one of the most uninspiring days of Test cricket to take place in this country from an Indian perspective — by the time the day was done, they were walking wounded, waiting for the opposition to put them out of this purgatory.

Siraj had to go off the field after an awkward fall while trying to save a four (there was no damage done, thankfully). Rishabh Pant, who has just recovered from a fractured foot, got one of his toes plastered by the physio. More players took breaks as they sought the refuge of the dressing room. It was that kind of day, the kind of hellish day this Indian team hasn’t had ina long time.

In the press conference at the end of the day, Ravindra Jadeja basically said attention had turned towards saving this Test. “Drawing this game would be a win-win for us,” he said. He basically confirmed what many people already knew. The hosts, barring a miracle not seen in over 150 years of any organised sport, would be losing a second home Test series in a year. In Tamil culture, there’s a very popular meme. When translated into English, it loosely means ‘how this family lived once upon a time’. The mind went to that meme as soon as Jadeja, part of one of India’s greatest teams at home and now part of their worst home run this century (if they lose this Test, it will be five losses in nine), threw in the towel with one day remaining.

“As a cricketer,” he said, “nobody wants to lose the series, especially in India. So, hopefully,