Chasing a target of 371 for victory, the hosts finished at 373 for 5 after 82 overs. Joe Root (53 not out) and Jamie Smith (44 not out) secured the win with an unbroken 71-run partnership for the fifth wicket. The second Test is set to take place from July 2-6 in Birmingham.
It’s hard to recall the last occasion when India had five centurions in a single Test and still lost so decisively.
A lackluster fielding performance, coupled with minimal support for the unparalleled Jasprit Bumrah, exacerbated India’s challenges. Indian bowlers conceded 44 boundaries and three sixes in the second innings alone, in addition to 54 boundaries and five sixes in the first innings.
Bowling changes are expected in the next Test, but whether these adjustments will lead to 20 wickets is a million-dollar question. In the final session, Ravindra Jadeja, who has a favorable track record against Ben Stokes, achieved a crucial breakthrough as the England skipper attempted a reverse sweep from the rough, leading to an easy catch by his counterpart, Shubman Gill. With 69 runs remaining, Root leveraged his extensive Test experience, guiding a young Smith throughout the unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership that clinched victory for England.
While this marked one of India’s poorest fielding displays, highlighted by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s four dropped catches, skipper Gill’s inexperience in strategizing and making on-the-fly decisions contributed to the team’s downfall.
At times, it appeared the team’s most seasoned batter, KL Rahul, was leading the squad, and Gambhir’s record as a coach in the traditional format took a turn for the worse.
Under Gambhir’s coaching, India has now faced defeat in seven of the 11 Tests he has overseen. The number of losses could easily rise to double digits, especially since the only effective match-winning bowler, Bumrah, won’t be available for two of the remaining four matches.
With nearly 50 overs bowled in the match, others must rise to the occasion if they want to prevent the world’s best fast bowler from experiencing another on-field collapse.
India’s bowling arsenal appears bare, and what is present on the field, alongside what is on the bench, doesn’t offer a very optimistic outlook.
Shardul Thakur managed two wickets with two poorly executed deliveries, and with just 16 overs to show for the entire match, the Mumbai man’s Test career may face an indefinite hiatus. Conversely, Nitish Kumar Reddy, as a bowler, has proven even less effective.
Given how Jadeja’s deliveries gripped and turned, the Indian think tank must be regretting the absence of Kuldeep Yadav, who would have significantly outperformed the average Thakur.
Prasidh Krishna took five wickets in the match, but due to the number of boundary balls he bowled from his natural back-of-length deliveries, he cannot be deemed a reliable option.
More than during the Australia tour, the absence of Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma—two excellent specialists in swing and seam bowling—was palpably felt.
Duckett, the left-handed batsman, survived a quality morning spell from Bumrah but showcased incredible conviction in sticking to his strengths, laying a solid foundation for victory alongside Crawley.
The rain break in the post-lunch session benefited India as Prasidh Krishna picked up a couple of wickets. However, Duckett’s aggressive batting style allowed him to counter India’s attempts to regain control.
Bumrah bowled a probing first spell for India, but there was a lack of support from the other end. Siraj and Shardul bowled enough boundary balls to let England off the hook.
Duckett’s game relies on simple hand-eye coordination, with minimal footwork required.
The 30-year-old primarily remained grounded in his stance, moving forward or square off the wicket based on the delivery length. His late playing technique afforded him the time to exploit Bumrah’s subsequent spells.
Duckett was dropped on 97 by Jaiswal off Siraj, causing frustration for the bowler.
Whenever Jadeja bowled, Duckett responded with reverse sweeps, taking advantage of the surface’s limited assistance.
If one reverse sweep went behind the square for a boundary, another audacious shot sailed over extra cover for six.
India’s failure to include a spinner of Kuldeep Yadav’s caliber came back to haunt them, and corrective actions will be necessary for the Birmingham Test starting July 2.
