IND vs ENG 2021: Three big talking points from India vs England series
The fifth and final India vs England Test in Manchester between had to be postponed indefinitely owing to the Covid-19 outbreak in the India squad. The BCCI released a statement on Friday where it informed that it was in talks with the ECB over conducting the match at a later date.
India were the better side in the India vs England series and they came into the final Test match leading 2-1 in the series. However, the series had to be called off due to the prevailing scenario in the Indian camp.
India seemed to have all the bases covered in the series. While they were hammered in the Leeds Test, they can still come back with a 2-1 lead under their belt.
Here we take a look at the major talking points from this India vs England series:
1. India finds a solid opening pair
In Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, the Indian side finally found a pair that could get the job done in tough overseas conditions. They were constantly batting under cloudy skies and against the swinging Dukes ball, but were assured and saw off the tricky phase right throughout the series.
Both openers scored a century each and played a pivotal part in India's wins at Lord's and The Oval. While Rohit scored 368 runs in 8 innings at an average of 52.57, Rahul scored 315 runs at average of 39.37.
The pair were not supposed to open in the first place, but their success proved to be the biggest talking point for India in this series.
2. India's seamers
The Indian seamers were not at their best in the World Test Championship final and there were question marks over their potency. However, they were back at their best in this India vs England series. They were brilliant at Trent Bridge, scripted an amazing heist at Lord's, contained England at Leeds and then on a flat deck at The Oval, bowled them out in one day to go 2-1 up in the series.
Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers and he was greatly supported by Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj. Ishant Sharma too was superb in the second match at Lord's.
Jasprit Bumrah finished with 18 wickets in 7 innings at an average of 20.83 and with a strike rate of 50.3. Siraj, on the other hand, picked up 14 wickets in 7 innings and was potent across all his spells.
This bowling attack took advantage of the situation on offer and when the conditions were flat, they changed their pace and altered lengths to prize out England's wickets.
3. Are we seeing the end of Ajinkya Rahane?
For all the positives around the openers and the Indian bowling attack, the form of the Indian middle order remained a concern in the India vs England series. While Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara did find some form and scored valuable runs, Ajinkya Rahane kept floundering and looked way past his prime.
He did an extended rope, but never looked at himself and struggled against the swinging ball as the bowlers challenged both his edges. In 7 innings, he only scored 109 runs at an average of 15 and we could well have seen the last of Ajinkya Rahane in the Indian Test side.