They dared to win the first test and win at a canter. That looks to have been the worst thing that they could have done. England since winning that first test in Chennai, have since been the victims of an Indian backlash. The sparkling double hundred from skipper Joe Root seems like a distant memory.
That 578 all out that they scored was this the same team? There have been some subtle changes but otherwise, the core of this batting unit has been the same.
Since that Stella knock by the England skipper and well backed up aggressive 40 in the 2nd innings, captain Root by his high standards has failed to get a score of note in the two innings since.
In that first game, both Bess and Leach did make significant contributions in the first test with the ball, but it was just Jack Leach who made a 2nd innings contribution with the ball. To get over the line, England were indebted to James Anderson like they have on so many occasions to help them finish India off.
At the time of writing, tourists England are again under the cosh. After making a paltry 112 all out, which included a Zak Crawley 50. To their credit Joe Root’s men have grabbed two quick wickets, to just put the brakes on proceedings.
Coming into this test The Three Lions would have wanted to lick their wounds after a chastening defeat in the 2nd test, but India are still obviously aggrieved that England had the nerve to win a game in this series.
With Anderson and Broad in their side, England will always have a chance, but if they didn’t know the task at hand, they will surely know now. A lot will depend on their start tomorrow, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the crease, the signs look ominous.
Where is Moeen Ali when you need him? He seemed to have Kohli’s number. If England didn’t know what they were in for, they do now. After all, it was England who were the last team to beat them in India, that was some eight/nine years ago.
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