OLLIE HO FLOWER MASALA

The 26-year-old stepped up with splendid century as the visitors secured a 126-run lead on Day 3

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ONE of the more thrilling aspects about watching Test cricket in India is experiencing an R Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja spell. On a strip with some turn and a degree of variable bounce, they become more potent. On the third morning of the first Test against England, Ashwin had the new ball with 190 runs to play with. Gulp.

On Days One and Two, the English spinners had toiled and grafted on a surface that seldom responded to their silent cries. When Ashwin had it, one may have already imagined the outcomes. Pace. Dip. Spin. Variation. All edges in play. Lots of close in fielders. The ooohhhs and aaahhhs of the 15000 or so who had occupied their seats early doors. Except, none of that happened on Saturday.

A fever dream unfolded as Bazball took centre-stage on one of the most competitive days of long-form cricket on these shores for many years.

Reverse sweeps bisected the man at short third man frequently. It left the fielder at point boundary to hurl the ball back in from beyond the boundary cushions. Close in fielders went out of fashion. A pacer replaced a spinner multiple times.