In the end, the game is the winner
The controversy over the cancelled fifth Test in England notwithstanding, gentle nudges by well-meaning seniors mean that cricket is in happy hands
Cricket is a wonderful, Indian game and the point was driven home well by Virat Kohli and his ambitious team in an exciting summer season. The English came to admire the stuff that India produced during a phase that began with the World Test Championship in June and culminated at Old Trafford with the fifth and final Test being cancelled on account of COVID fears. India led the series 2-1.
When the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly revealed that the Indian team was reluctant to play, he was only confirming the backing the players had. Health and safety of the players is paramount but the decision did not go down with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) which insisted that the match be treated as forfeited by India and the result should go in their favour to tie the series. It hangs in balance as the matter rests with the International Cricket Council (ICC) following a claim by the ECB to grant them the match.
Overflowing audiences at the venues marked the fare. Test cricket was at its glorious best and it was just the advertisement to keep the administrators and the broadcasters happy. Cricket was entertaining. The royal battle between England’s legendary James Anderson and the cream of Indian batting should rank as classic in the folklore of the game. It was breathtaking and evoked memories of some fascinating contests that India and England have been locked in, notably the 1971 thriller at The Oval in 1971 when India won on the strength of leg-spinner BS Chandrasekhar’s striking blows to register their first ever win on English soil.
The 2021 series was projected as the most-awaited in a long time since it featured some of the modern greats of the game —Anderson and Virat Kohli — with charmers like Joe Root and Jasprit Bumrah bringing a touch of exciting personal rivalry. Root was exemplary and Bumrah unplayable at times, setting benchmarks to last ages. It was hard to estimate the degree of excellence between Root and Bumrah.
Anderson won his personal battles with Kohli but the latter came out tops as he marshalled India to win two Tests in a remarkable show of temperament. Nothing was beyond India as the team once again established itself as an enviable combination. For India, the takeaways were rich.
There was much to celebrate in the rise of KL Rahul as an opener, who promises to make huge strides and the return to form of Rohit Sharma. The two hit a century each and importantly assured the selectors of their investment. With Cheteshwar Pujara coming to grips with his capabilities, India benefited at the opportune time to enjoy more dominating sessions than the home team.
True, England swept India off their feet at Headingley in an embarrassing innings defeat for the touring team but the match that stood out saw India win a regal contest at The Lord’s. The home of cricket saw Rahul crack a majestic century and Mohammed Siraj produce unforgettable spells of four wickets each in the two innings. India made a remarkable fightback through a last-wicket stand of 89 runs between Mohammed Shami and Bumrah. This pair highlighted the tenacity of the team on the final day of the match as England succumbed after having begun the day in a commanding position.
Two half centuries by Shardul Thakur at critical stages of the fourth Test at The Oval propelled the team into a position of strength to call the shots, courtesy the fast bowlers. Criticised for not playing off-spinner Ravinchandran Ashwin even once in a Test against England, Kohli stood tall for his decision to play four fast bowlers. They did not let him down and it was down to the final Test. Sadly, the circumstances played havoc and the match had to be called off.
It was an unprecedented development and reports emerged of the two Boards drifting away from their acclaimed healthy association to honour each other’s commitments. A reminder from Sunil Gavaskar rekindled memories of the cricket fans of the gesture by England when they returned to complete the tour halted by the Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008. The former India captain wants India to return the favour by travelling to England next year to play the cancelled Test.
In these difficult times, it is important to spare a thought for players’ mental health, who were driven to take the decision of “refusing” to play the final Test. Their fears of getting infected were genuine and the Indians were not the only one to be compelled into taking such a stand. Australia postponing their tour to South Africa was among the prominent fixtures that failed to take off.
Spending long periods in quarantine has taken its toll on all sportspersons. The Indian Premier League 2021 has seen quite a few players withdrawing from the competition in Dubai. And Kohli deciding to quit T20 captaincy after the World Cup this year sums up the cricket in the pandemic — it is too exacting.
(The writer has been a sports journalist for 35 years with The Hindu and Sportstar. He has authored five books on cricket.)
Source: The Pioneer
