There is something about this present bunch of India cricketers led by Virat Kohli in all formats of the game. With Kohli as captain, who hates losing and never gives up, his positive attitude has rubbed off on each and every player as was witnessed in the recently concluded England tour, which witnessed five Test matches, three ODIs and three T20s.
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It was a dominant display by Team India in all the formats. England, despite giving their best, were outclassed and outplayed by India, who won 4-0 in Test series, 2-1 in ODIs and 2-1 in T20s. Even before the tour started, India were touted as favourites, and they justified that favourites tag, and one might feel that they surpassed it with flying colours.
Test series
The Test series might have not started as the home team would have liked as England tested them in every department. Kohli's team only managed a draw in the first Test as the England looked a good outfit. From there on, it was understood that the India team would not have it easy and they were required to step up a gear, and how wonderfully they did so with Virat Kohli leading from the front in the second Test, scoring 167 and 81 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin's bowling effort of eight wickets did the trick for India to take 1-0 lead.
Test matches are different from other formats, where all the players need to contribute in the team's success. The third Test match witnessed the same with bowlers chipping in with wickets, troubling England and dismissing them for 283 and 236 runs. And the strong batting line-up did not have any problem to win the Test on the fourth day itself, chasing 108 runs with ease.
With India 2-0 up, England had to find their game going, else they were staring at series' defeat. The best thing that they could think that time was a drawn series, and for that they had to win the remaining two Test.
Unfortunately for England, India batsmen were on top of their game in the last two Test matches. They were only required to bat once in both the matches to win the match with an innings to spare. Murali Vijay, Kohli and off-spinner Jayant scored centuries to score 631 in the first innings of fourth Test, which played an important role in India winning by an innings and 36 runs. One should not forget the Ashwin's contribution of 12 wickets.
In the fifth and final Test, it was KL Rahul and Karun Nair, who bagged headlines with a brilliant 199 runs and 303 in their first innings to put England in trouble. With such majestic innings, and brilliant performance from slow-left arm Ravindra Jadeja, India won the match by an innings and 75 runs and the series 4-0.
Highest run-scorer- Virat Kohli (655 runs)
Highest wicket-taker – R Ashwin (28 wickets)
What did we learn from the Test series?
Joe Root and Virat Kohli are two best batsmen in world cricket today.
Kohli is taking India to greater heights, and is the team to beat in the longer format, but his real test will lie in foreign conditions.
England's failure to play against spin bowling and in slow conditions has not improved.
England need to work hard to find success in the sub-continent.
ODI series
Even before the ODI series started, huge news rocked India cricket. Out of nowhere, ODI captain MS Dhoni gave up captaincy and Kohli was the new man responsible in all formats of the game. However, looking back at things, the decision was right as Kohli gained enough experience to lead India in all formats.
The ODI series was purely a run-feast, where batsmen loved playing on the flat tracks, while bowlers had no place to hide. Batsmen from both the teams piled runs like in school cricket. In the six innings played in the ODI series, the lowest score read 316 posted by India in a losing cause. Yes, you read it right, losing cause.
England, off late, have shown that they are a completely different side, young and energetic side in limited overs cricket. They play fearless cricket, which was witnessed in the first ODI, scoring 350 runs, which should have been enough for a win. But the brilliance of Kohli and Kedar Jadhav led India to a shocking win. Shocking, why? As they were tottering for 63-4, but when you have Kohli, run chases are like desserts, he makes sure that he finishes the dessert, but this time, he shared the major share with Jadhav as the two helped India take 1-0 lead.
If it was Kohli and Jadhav in the first ODI, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni showed their skills with 150 and 134 runs, helping India score 381. You felt, that was safe target? England, with Eoin Morgan's ton, nearly did it for the visitors, who fell short by 15 runs. In the third ODI, England finally scripted their first win of the tour against India, who nearly pulled off a stunning chase with another help from Jadhav. England won the match by five runs.
Highest run-scorer- Kedar Jadhav (232 runs)
Highest wicket-taker – Chris Woakes (6 wickets)
What did we learn from the ODI series?
Scoring 350 runs has become a norm, and chasing them is not a big ordeal anymore.
England are a much better ODI side with the right mix of players.
India have found a perfect middle order batsmen in the form of Kedar Jadhav.
India have a problem in the opening slot without Rohit Sharma.
T20 series
After winning the Test and ODI series with relative ease, India could not get off to a bright start in the shortest format. The strong India batting line-up did not shine in the opening match, scoring 147 runs, which was chased down easily by England.
The second ODI was also a relatively low-score affair, but it was the best match of the series, and the closest so far, which went down right to the wire. England, chasing 145 runs to win, were cruising, but some impressive performance from death bowlers Ashish Nehra and Jasprit Bumrah spoiled the party for England, and India won by five runs.
However, all the fours and sixes were reserved for the final match of the series, where India scored 202 runs with Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj scoring quick runs on the flat deck. England were going on strong in that chase, but the brilliance of Yuzvendra Chahal did the trick for India, taking six wickets. More surprising, England lost their last eight wickets for eight runs, which proved to be fatal, and they finished the series in the most embarrassing note possible.
Highest run-scorer- Joe Root (126 runs)
Highest wicket-taker – Yuzvendra Chahal (8 wickets)
What did we learn from the T20 series?
Low-scoring matches can be equally interesting.
Age is just a number, ask Ashish Nehra.
England needs to learn how to finish games.
Yuzvendra Chahal should be a role model for spinners in T20. Though it might be risky, flighting the ball can do wonders. He proved it how and why.
