England vs Sri Lanka 2016: Alex Hales 'leaves' his mark on Test cricket

Alex Hales’ innings of 86 helped set up England’s comfortable victory in the fitst Test against Sri Lanka

Leeds, Headingley. 19 May 2016. England vs Sri Lanka.

The ball is new. It pitches on off. It swings late, and just the perfect amount. He is drawn forward. A prod, and he'll edge it to the keeper or to first slip. A drive, and he'll edge it to third slip or gully. Either way, this new ball is going to get him, the way it did during the winter in South Africa. The sparse crowd thinks so, as do the opposition, the commentators, and the critics. Even the pitch and the clouds seem to agree.

But, today Alex Hales doesn't prod at the ball, he doesn't attempt a flashy drive. Instead, he leaves it.

The feet move forward, his eyes fixed on the ball, shoulder bent. And what follows is the most secure, majestic shouldering of the arms. Almost authoritative. To those who are not particularly fond of Test cricket, it's just one among the many dull moments of the day. But to an ardent fan, a ball well left is almost as wonderful to watch as a perfect sunset on a beach, as beautiful as a full moon on a clear night. Serene, calm, all consuming. Magical.

Hales holds that pose till well after the ball reaches the keeper. In a different continent, and in coloured clothing, Virat Kohli holds a pose after depositing a Kyle Abbott inswinger to Mars. Those who saw that shot, and the pose that followed, say that it was special.

The Hales pose was also special, just of a different kind. A kind, not many people care to notice nowadays. Akin to a mullet in the time of undercuts and man buns. Trendy no more.

Hales repeats this ball after ball. Unfazed, even as wickets fall by the wayside at the other end. Hales is known to be a bit of a chatterbox while batting, laughing and grinning all the time. But this is not the same. He doesn't smile or say much today. 

His eyes look straight, no twitching, no blinking. Just point blank straight. The interior may be screaming of passion and struggle, but the exterior seems focused. Steely.

The leaves are accompanied by a few solid forward defences, some glances off the pads, and the occasional punches and square cuts.

But it's the leaves that stand out. For, Hales has never been a sound, or even half consistent leaver of the cricket ball. Today, he is fighting his form, his detractors and his reputation to play the kind of innings virtually nobody thought he could. This inning is special because Hales was batting out of character, against the odds, against the opposition bowlers, and against himself.

There's a famous Sachin Tendulkar story that during the Sydney test of India's 2003-04 tour to Australia, he abandoned the cover drive, one of the most scoring and habitual shots known to batsmen. He did so to prevent being caught behind as had been happening in his previous few innings. He went on to score an unbeaten 241, and the rest is history. An innings, a story which many coaches tell their students.

Hales probably resisted even better. For, he had never played an innings like this before. An innings of such caution and restraint. An innings exemplifying immense will and courage. So much so that a monk would do well to learn abstinence from him.

What makes it even more special is that not many thought Hales would be here. They felt he'd be off to ply his trade at the IPL, having given a crack, and failed miserably at Test cricket.

At the IPL, he would have been in his comfort zone, batting his way. Not having to face the wrath of his critics, while at the same time making huge amounts of money. Instead, he chose Test cricket, the toughest place of them all, where he had seemed completely out of his depth. He chose Test cricket because that's what he dreamt of playing. He chose Test cricket because he wanted to scale the pinnacle of cricketing greatness, something nobody had given him a shot at doing. 

Placing it in this context, the Alex Hales leavathon was among the most significant innings in recent times.

It was not just the struggle of a man doing something he is not at all attuned to doing, going completely against his natural instinct. It was also a reaffirmation of faith in the fact that Test cricket is still what most of the cricketers of the T20 generation want to conquer. Hales, a poster boy for the new generation, took the hard route. A route that we, the die hard followers of Test cricket, wish many others take. Test cricket needs it. Cricket needs it.

One by one, rather, leave by leave, Hales is winning his battle. Our admiration for him is increasing. Today, the critics' voices seem to fall on deaf ears. It doesn't matter that they may be right, that it may be a one-off innings. What matters is that Hales is trying. Even if he fails, he'll be an inspiration.

Hales held on, and fought for 205 balls until he had a brain freeze on 86, holing out to deep cover off Rangana Herath.

He looks aghast. He knows how much he overcame to survive those 205 balls. His eyes finally show some emotion. He finally shows some emotion. The 325 minutes he was at the crease was probably the most mentally draining time he has spent on a cricket field. It was probably the most important as well. For him, for cricket.

Hales walked back slowly to the pavilion, 'leaving' his mark firmly on Test cricket.