History is larger than life at Southampton. The Titanic set sail from here in 1912 on its doomed voyage and inspired a flurry of tales and a Hollywood blockbuster. The cricketing tradition in this port-city or the county Hampshire, to be more precise, is in no way inferior.
Embellished as it is with the narratives about the late Malcolm Marshall, David Gower, Gordon Greenidge, Shane Warne (a stand is named after him at the Ageas Bowl) and Kevin Pietersen.
The surreal touch isn’t finished yet and at the Ageas Bowl, where the third Test commences on Sunday, the Hilton Hotel is being built as part of the ground’s super-structure.
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The construction is still on and the only finished article in the maze of concrete and steel girders is the press box. A few years down the line, fans with deep pockets, can actually book a suite, lounge in their pyjamas, sip their beers and watch the match from the best seat in town, and that too within the confines of their rooms!
In sync with the city’s history and its own recent form, India too would try to leave a massive footprint as it seeks to build on its 1-0 lead. So far, M.S. Dhoni’s men have seized all the critical stages when matches were in the balance.
If Stuart Binny stabilised the second innings and saved the game at Trent Bridge, Ishant Sharma, Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar ensured that Lord’s was India’s to cherish.
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Bhuvneshwar has had a sensational time until now and India has drawn enormous strength from his exploits. Currently, he is India’s second highest run-getter (209) and leading wicket-taker (11) in this series. Dhoni couldn’t have asked for more.
Bhuvneshwar’s effort that belies his position in the tail and the refusal of the other batsmen to be overawed by an England attack that rides on James Anderson and Stuart Broad, has negated the host’s home-advantage.
England’s embarrassing capitulation to Ishant’s short-pitched attack at Lord’s flipped the stakes and it is now groping for a comeback under a struggling Alastair Cook. It isn’t that India doesn’t have its worries but they are middling when compared to the ones that are migraine-inducing for England.
Virat Kohli is now placed at the bottom (34 runs, averaging 8.50) after two Tests but he is a fine player and there is no need to prematurely ring the alarm bell. At the other end is Cheteshwar Pujara, a prisoner to his own prolific ways, and though he has netted 164, it must be perplexing for him to get solid starts and then watch that effort wane.
But ‘New India’ has lasted well primarily because the others have rallied ahead. The surface meanwhile isn’t the bed-and-breakfast joint that was seen at Trent Bridge or the Lord’s green carpet that made the fast bowlers lick their lips in anticipation.
There is a bit of grass but local officials believe that it may not exhibit the extreme nature of the previous Tests’ pitches though good bounce is assured. The wicket might force India to mull over Binny while Rohit Sharma emerges as a contender.
England meanwhile needs its senior quartet of Cook, Ian Bell, Anderson and Broad to relive their glory years.
The younger lot led by Joe Root (233 runs) has done relatively better and it is a benchmark that needs adherence from Jos Buttler, who is stepping in for Matt Prior.
The opposition’s woes might seem as poetic justice for India that had a shambolic tour in 2011.
Over the next few days, the Ageas Bowl will reveal whether the tables have really turned.
The teams (from): India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Varun Aaron, Pankaj Singh, Stuart Binny, Ishwar Pandey and Wriddhiman Saha.
England: Alastair Cook (captain), Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Sam Robson, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.
Umpires: Rod Tucker and Marais Erasmus; Third umpire: Rob Bailey;
Match referee: David Boon.
Play starts at 3.30 p.m. IST.