"Was this harder or easier than facing Southee?" - Twitter tears into India's bowling unit as visitors surrender Edgbaston Test to England
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow led the way with unbeaten centuries as England annihilated India by seven wickets to seal a record chase of 378. The result saw the five-match series, which began last year but was postponed owing to a COVID-19 outbreak within the visitors' camp, leveled at 2-2.
Having taken a first-innings lead of 132, many expected India to bat their way to a dominant position before letting their bowlers loose. What transpired was far from it, though, as a batting collapse on Day 4 left England with a target of 378 to chase.
With the uneven bounce on the surface, it was expected that India's seamers would take advantage of it and make life difficult for the hosts. However, a positive approach, archetypal of the 'Bazball' trend that they've deployed all summer, saw England coast to the target from the word 'go'.
India's bowlers spraying it on either side of the wicket and not being penetrative enough left a lot to be desired. Fans were left disappointed and here's what they had to say on Twitter:
This Indian bowling giving full 2011-14 vibes and this HURTS.
Because bowling was our ONLY strong pursuit since 2018 and we've somehow managed to screw it with CLASS.
Dark days ahead tbh! ๐ฅบ #INDvsENG
No point in blaming India's third innings collapse.
If you give 39 runs in first six overs on probably the most bowler-friendly time of the day, really need to question the bowling.
378/3 probably. Even 450 wouldn't have been enough.
#ENGvIND #ENGvsIND #ENGvsIND5thTest
This has to be one of the most crushing defeats in recent times. Batting was a goner for more than 2 years , now bowling found wanting in SA + here.
Future in both batting & bowling look bleak. 2 yr home cycle may cushion this transition & gap.
India will rue another fourth innings chase against them. Some really poor bowling the entire bowling attack. No control, very rigid plans. Lifeless deck but it needed something more from the bowling to create chances, they didn't and they deservedly lose the Test. twitter.com/CricCrazyNIKS/โฆ
This is very well on course to finish before the second new ball is due. Imagine conceding nearly 380 runs in 4th innings before the 2nd new ball is due even. With the kind of bowling that has been on display, how could even setting a target of 450 be also helpful?
England have chased 378 in the 4th innings at 5 RPO. This was just too easy against India's first-choice bowling attack.
Going to have a terrible headache for days to come.
44 runs in 8 overs this morning. And Not a single Indian pacer has gone below 4 runs per over in this innings.
This bowling effort has reminded me of the dark days of India's bowling outside Asia in Tests between 2011-2014. Just so poor.
Hey Jonny, was this harder or easier than facing Southees bowling...? #EngvInd
Bro just finished my meeting and I checked the score match is almost over what are we even bowling?
Lost 3 back to back tests abroad now without taking 20 wkts, where opposition chased the target. Surely qs should be asked about the coaching staff now. Will fingers be raised at Jammy sir or will his PR machinery come to rescue? More importantly is India missing Bharat Arun?
Ask any Indian fan, 90 percent will say Chennai 99 still hurts...it always will but will always be proud of the way Sachin batted on a 5th day track with a bad back against unarguably one of the finest attacks of the era...
Going down without a fight in Birmingham is much worse!
Thatโs an unbelievable run-chase. Well done, England. Series Drawn.
But the last couple of Tests in SA also come to mindโฆthey managed run-chases without much fuss in both Testsโฆ
https://t.co/kkruLrcjPj
Probably time to accept that this Indian bowling attack is not as good as it was! Failed to defend 240+ on a difficult wicket in the 2nd Test against SA, managed only 3 wickets in the 3rd Test and again picking only 3 wickets (1 run-out) in a 378 run chase! #INDvsENG #ENGvIND https://t.co/P6vKWEajKz
Rare escape from beating for KL. He could have been captain here. And, I can imagine the reactions. At least this way bowlers are being criticised.
@gurkiratsgill Not even 500 would be enough Paaji. Siraj and Thakur werenโt test class here. You donโt leak 160 runs between yourselves on a day 4/5 pitch. Both were third rate. Jadeja too was useless. Quite what India were planning yesterday when batting is beyond me. That is where they lost!
India need to address this monumental slide in their fourth innings bowling soon. SA wasn't one-off.
#ENGvIND #ENGvsIND
More than batters, I would blame bowlers for this loss.. 378 while chasing in the 4th innings of a Test match was a daunting task irrespective of how well the wicket played... This loss is on the bowlers..
#INDvENG
India's last three overseas Tests
Edgbaston - lost by 7 wickets
Cape Town - lost by 7 wickets
Jo'burg - lost by 7 wickets
More than being unable to defend 378, 212 & 240...couldn't come close to defending it.
#ENGvIND
England retain the Pataudi Trophy after drawing the series 2-2
The hosts came into this rescheduled fifth Test in Birmingham with nothing less than a win guaranteeing that they retain the Pataudi Trophy. Having elected to bowl upon winning the toss, they were subjected to a 222-run stand between Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja on Day 1.
Stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah tore into Stuart Broad and masaccred 35 runs for the most expensive over in Test cricket history. Having been bowled out for 416, they then bundled the hosts out for 284 despite a stunning Jonny Bairstow century.
It all came apart on the fourth morning though, with a poor batting collapse followed by a listless bowling display handing the initiative to Ben Stokes and Co. For his twin centuries in the contest, Bairstow was declared the Player of the Match.
Joe Root was declared England's Player of the Series for his tally of 737 runs across the five fixtures. Bumrah won the same award for the visitors, having topped the wicket-takers' charts with 23 scalps.