The Indian Test Debacle: Questions Galore. Answers? Few.

December 23, 2012

Most said, England would flounder, others said England would be decimated; they might put up a fight the optimists said, but India was going to prevail in the end everyone believed. The only question in most cricket follower's minds prior to the commencement of the test series was the score line with which India would win.
 
England responded to these pressing questions by coming a month in advance and playing three warm up games to acclimatize themselves with the Indian conditions. The Indian selectors countered that by giving them exposure to part-time spin at best during the warm ups. Succeeding in India was improbable, but not impossible England believed.
 
The clamor only grew louder once the first test was done and dusted, but little did anyone know what lay in store for the rest of the series. It’s often said well begun is always half done, however India squandered the early advantage they earned themselves after the first test and in hindsight the blushes.
 
India was plain and simply outclassed from that point on. The spinners would be all over the English batsmen, the famed Indian batting would pile up the runs against the listless English bowling attack were preconceived conclusions possibly every Indian cricket follower had drawn. If the Indian captain expected to whitewash the English side by asking for turning tracks, he was sadly mistaken. On the contrary he was given a taste of his own medicine.
 
What transpired post the first test was for everyone to see. India on the back foot session after session, English spinners bowling better than the Indian spinners, English fast bowlers exploiting reverse swing to perfection, English batsmen countered the Indian bowlers as though they were brought up playing on these low, slow tracks which spun square, the fielding of the two sides like chalk and cheese. The result? India beaten in their own backward. The fortress that they had guarded for the past 28 years finally broken into.
 
Was it complacency or was it over-confidence? Was it form or was it sheer better quality of English cricket? Was it a case of England bringing their best performance onto the field or was it just a case of India having a bad series? Your guess would only be as good as mine.
 
After the England and Australia humiliation, India most probably assumed that all India had to do was turn up onto the field in Indian conditions and they would be guaranteed a win. However, this time around this theory was staunchly dis proven. The long 28 year jinx of not winning a test series in India against India was finally broken by a touring team.
 
Is the Indian test team still in transition, the stalwarts having retired? Would it be fair to blame the captain? The captain is only as good as his team isn’t he? Is it fair to play the blame game at all or give the youngsters a little more time to blossom to full potential? Is it finally time to pull down the curtains on the "senior" cricketers who has served the nation for years now? Are India no more at least tigers at home? Are wholesale changes warranted? Do we have replacements to fill the boots of these great servants of the game? Do you have a captain to replace the current one? Million dollar questions which have left each cricket lover pondering over. It remains to be seen what decisions would be taken in the days to follow. The BCCI has always managed to surprise us with their decisions, irrespective the outcome hard calls will have to be taken.
 
Call it resilience, call it strength of character, call it whatever you may, in the end you must doff your hat to England and say; "Well played England! You deserve every bit of accolade you have received!" The ashes may be the ultimate frontier for every Englishman, but I would be very surprised if anyone who has played and followed English cricket does not put this series win at par with an Ashes triumph. Well done England! Hats Off!

 

By Sherwin Fernandes
Sherwin Fernandes is from Suratkal, currently pursuing his Masters in Electrical Engineering at The University of Buffalo, SUNY, New York. Cricket is his passion.
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Comment on this article

  • Ancita D'souza, Mangalore

    Sat, Jan 19 2013

    Excellent article!! Cricket is your passion, proves very true to me.

    Keep writing.

  • Resh,

    Fri, Jan 18 2013

    Good job Sherwin! Keep writing. :)

  • diana, mangalore/ chennai

    Thu, Jan 03 2013

    sherwin well done congrats it was a pleasure to read this keep writing God bless

  • Divyani , Bangalore

    Tue, Jan 01 2013

    hey sheru.... this is really amazing proud of you :)

  • Vishal, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 01 2013

    A nice article, very well written. Sherwin seems to have all the makings of a prolific writer and we would like to see more of such stuff.

  • ROSHAN, MANGALORE

    Tue, Jan 01 2013

    Nice boy here.... with nice article... keep it up

  • Atishay Godre, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh

    Mon, Dec 31 2012

    The author has eloquently articulated the major flaws in the approach of the two teams. While England came and prepared for the tests one month in advance, a lot of current Indian players including Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina (even though he wasn't picked for the test series) dubbed it as a revenge series. They were complacent and pre-meditated. The result - we were thrashed embarassingly in our backyard. Yes it's true that a lot of our experienced players have retired. But we have to agree that England had better batsmen, better fast and spin bowlers than India. Their top order was impermeable led by Cook who is arguably the best batsman in the world at the moment, assisted by the likes of the Flamboyant Peterson, Trott and Bell. While the Panesar and Swann make the best spin dual among all teams, Anderson makes their bowling attach lethal combined with his reverse swing. More than blaming the pitch, Dhoni has to accept that we were beaten by a better team.

  • R.F.Fernandes,Suratkal, Surathkal/Dubai

    Mon, Dec 31 2012

    Well written and eyeporking article . Article is full of well ed english words . Well done Sherwin .

  • Roxanne Saldanha, Bangalore

    Sat, Dec 29 2012

    Awesome stuff Sherwin :) this is excellent writing !

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Fri, Dec 28 2012

    Considering the match fixing stories that we hear so often, wonder if cricket really deserves such serious thought.

  • Flora Noronha, Mangalore, Scotland

    Thu, Dec 27 2012

    Sherwin, my knowledge about cricket is nil but I must say I admire the candour with which you highlight the flaws of the Indian team, while at the same time having the nobility to give praise where it is due. Well done! I look forward to reading more of your articles here!


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