The long-drawn Test series involving England and India, which commenced on August 4 last year, concluded with a pulsating climax at Birmingham’s Edgbaston on Tuesday. In the fifth Test, England galloped towards the fourth innings target of 378 in just 76.4 overs with centurions Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow building on the momentum gifted by openers Alex Lees and Zak Crawley. The seven-wicket victory helped England draw the series at 2-2 through a comeback that stunned the visitors. Four Tests were played in 2021 when a COVID-19 scare forced the postponement of the fifth match while India led 2-1. The administrators agreed to play the fifth Test after a year and this was an interval like none other. In the intervening period, Russia invaded Ukraine, the pandemic lingered and on the sporting front, both teams evolved. India’s coach Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli bowed out and Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma stepped in. In the rival dressing room coach Chris Silverwood and skipper Root stepped aside with Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes being the replacements. Even if Rohit sat out due to COVID-19, under Jasprit Bumrah and thanks to the centuries by Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, India held the reins in the final Test before an indifferent second innings and marauding England batters altered the script in favour of the host.
McCullum and Stokes have preferred aggression as the solution to help England shed its dormancy. Fourth innings targets would be attempted even if they seem improbable and the opposition will not be given the time to react. New Zealand learnt it the hard way and now it is India’s turn. McCullum, the former New Zealand captain, is known for his bludgeoning bat. His 158 for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the maiden Indian Premier League clash at Bengaluru in 2008 turbo-charged the league and put to shade the fireworks that Vijay Mallya had organised as part of the launch. McCullum’s method is stunning when he prospers and deflating when he fails. Like he did with an ugly swipe against Mitchell Starc in the 2015 World Cup final which Australia won. For now, his ‘Bazball’ method is holding England in good stead. That Root and Bairstow, two Yorkshire batters from the land of the obdurate Geoffrey Boycott, have bought into McCullum’s philosophy is a pointer to the ‘Brave New England’s’ attempt to change the face of Tests. Meanwhile India, after losing the Test series in South Africa and allowing England to claw back, will have to evaluate its overseas record. The three T20Is and the three ODIs against Old Blighty beckon and in coloured clothes, India will hope to do better.
