Unhappy England seem to have left door ajar for India

Flat pitches, predictable batting and unimaginative bowling has stripped this series of the interest it generated in the buildup, leaving raw emotions dictating key moments of the last two Tests.

- Somshuvra Laha

They clapped at Lord's, India clapped back the next evening at Lord’s. Ben Stokes tried to belittle Jadeja and Sundar's effort at Old Trafford and was duly shut down, and shortly after the world got to read the transcript of what went down. It makes for great television, but ultimately can't cover up for the glaring holes in England's strategy.

India have been gritty but that isn't the only reason each of the four Tests have gone on till the last session of the fifth day —a record in its own right. So unyielding has been England's bat-big narrative that bowlers have been shortchanged in the process. Despite England’s push, strike rates remain a definitive way of judging bowlers in red ball cricket. And England’s numbers are dire.

On India’s last tour of 2021-22, when England had still not rebranded themselves till the last ‘Test at Birmingham, four bowlers — including Ben Stokes — had strike rates below 50. This time, only Stokes and Josh Tongue have been able to stay in that territory. And there is no chatter about that atall.