Last Updated on 3 months by Charbel Coorey
“Whoever you are, we’ll find you and make you look good.”
India and the tale of tails. Why do India keep making the same errors?
That is a discussion for another day. Here, I will look at he third day’s play and try figure out any possible way this Test can be competitive.
Yet again, India struggled to dislodge the tail, which was the catalyst to a day that Indian fans were dreading. Skipper Virat Kohli didn’t attack enough in my opinion, and India’s bowlers didn’t maintain the excellent lines and lengths that marked their first day efforts.
Then, with some swing on offer, England’s bowlers buried India deeper in the mire, and as a result, only one result looks possible in this Test.
Hanuma Vihari and Ravindra Jadeja need to get India within 100 of England
Relying on a debutant and a player who is playing his first Test of the series to get you out of a hole nearly as large as the Grand Canyon is probably asking for too much. @imsgshinde described things well below…
But, Hanuma Vihari showed the fight and skill that has evaded some of his more experienced teammates in this series. Ravindra Jadeja is not a slouch with the bat.
India possess a tail that if it was another team, even India would fancy dismissing cheaply…
So, these two players have to withstand England and get India to within 100 of England’s first innings total. Conversely, England will be aware that if this partnership, currently worth just 14, is broken early, a huge lead awaits.
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Can James Anderson and Alastair Cook have big days?
James Anderson is three away from passing Glenn McGrath as Test Cricket’s most prolific pace bowler. Can he achieve it today? Four wickets remain in the England innings, with the clouds lurking…
Also, Alastair Cook will walk out to bat today for the last time in Test Cricket (unless something absolutely extraordinary happens). Can he make one final significant score? With a big lead likely, he is a good chance of going out on a high.
Can England’s batting finally click as a unit?
If India somehow reduce the deficit to put pressure on England, can the batting line up step up? If they collapse at the top, with a lead of less than 100, India can dream of the impossible.
It’s asking a lot, of course, but no matter the situation, England’s batting needs to step up to completely knock India out of contention in this one.
My verdict
I can’t see India getting too many more than they already have.
I think England will get a lead of about 120, and drive it home for the rest of the day to end up about 300 in front by the end of the day.
