IND vs ENG 2021: 2 worrying signs for India heading into the 3rd Test at Headingley
On August 16, Team India pulled off a sensational victory at Lord's. The win in the second Test was well-received as the visitors took a 1-0 lead over England in the five-match series.
The Lord's Test was a game of comebacks. India started the match displaying great resolve as openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul negotiated the tricky morning session without losing their wickets. A first innings total of 400+ was on the cards. However, the English bowlers settled down to restrict India to 364. The hosts then took a 27-run lead in their first innings.
It looked gloomy for India on Day 4 when they lost both of their openers for 27 runs. Captain Virat Kohli went next, after scoring just 20. It was left to off-form Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane to steady the ship. At the end of the day, India would've happily settled for a draw.
But stellar rear-guard action by Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah on Day 5 first broached the subject of India stealing the match. And when the visitors declared their innings, they left their opponents a target of 272 and 60 overs to achieve it in. The Englishmen were bowled out for 120 with just eight overs to spare, giving the Indians a 151-run victory.
But the series is still up for grabs. Despite the positives of the first two matches, India have some areas of concern. Let's discuss two of them ahead of the 3rd Test at Headingley, Leeds.
#1 Virat Kohli has scored no ton in almost two years
Regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world, Virat Kohli hasn't been pulling his weight in Test cricket for quite some time. The India captain has now failed to score a century in almost two years. His last international Test ton came in November 2019, during a day-night match against Bangladesh where he scored 136.
The 32-year-old hasn't looked as vulnerable as during the 2014 tour of England but has failed to convert his starts. His 2021 Test average of 26.4 ranks him ninth among Indian batsmen. Even the spinning all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin have better batting averages, at 31 and 29, respectively.
If India are to win this series convincingly, they would surely require Kohli to hit his stride sooner rather than later.
#2 Ravindra Jadeja is wicketless in the series
Ravindra Jadeja is India's only 'three-dimensional' player -- one who can make the team on his batting, bowling or fielding skills.
India went into the series with plans to play four seamers and a spinning all-rounder. Jadeja's presence in the team helps in the rotation of the fast bowlers.
The 32-year-old relishes bowling on tracks that suit spinners. While the Nottingham pitch was not something that would've helped Jadeja's cause, he did no better in the second Test, unable to trouble the English batsman.
Though his batting has been solid, his inability to chip in with wickets will cause his side some heartache. Jadeja has now gone wicketless in his last 52 Test overs, extending to the second innings of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand.