England vs India 2018, Fifth Test: Hits and Misses
England has finally wrapped up the series by a margin of 4-1 against the Indian unit who didn't leave a stone unturned in making a comeback into the series following their heroics at Nottingham.
Every single member of the English playing XI contributed when it mattered the most, be it with the bat or with the ball, thereby laying down total dominance over the visiting unit.
Talking about the Indian team, while their bowling did manage to rip through the English lineup on almost all occasions, it was their batting which made matters sour, especially in the first and fourth Tests which they lost by chasable margins.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli whose performance was of utmost importance in the ongoing series emerged as the leading run-scorer with 593 runs under his belt, in the process shutting down the critics who had doubted his prowess in the English conditions. Had he received the necessary partnerships from his fellow mates in the first and fourth games, the outcome we know would have been different.
Here's a look at Hits and Misses from the final Test.
#1 Hit: Alastair Cook
The GOAT from England now ranks fifth in the list of leading run scorers in the red-ball cricket. He's also the leading run-getter among the left-handed batsmen in the longer format of the game.
His knock of 147 in 286 deliveries helped him get past the run tally of Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara (12,400 runs), in the process allowing him to secure a place for himself amidst the league of extraordinary batsmen who've scored centuries in their first and final games.
#2 Hit: Joe Root
The English skipper had to wait for a year to score his 14th Test century which also ended his dry run in the ongoing series. Prior to the fifth Test, Root had amassed only a solitary fifty which came in during the first Test at Edgbaston, followed by a series of low totals until the game at Kennington Oval.
His knock of 125 in 190 deliveries helped England in putting up a total of 464 runs for the Indian unit. The grit and determination with which he played during Day 4 of the final Test is a testament to his potency in the red-ball cricket.