Indian team in England: Disappointing!

When Parveen Kumar is your go to bowler, you know trouble is brewing. This is something India and Dhoni will never forget!

A series that was billed as the clash of the titans, and was hyped up as a marquee series for months, has unfolded to be truly one sided, as the former number one team in the world spiraled down in style.

Virender Sehwag, who was touted as India’s great savior after defeats in the first two tests, lasted only eight minutes at the crease and recorded his first ever king pair for his efforts, as India surrendered the number one spot in test cricket, going down by an innings and two hundred and forty odd runs.

Before the start of the series, anybody who claimed that a batting lineup comprising of Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Raina and Dhoni would be shot out for under 300 -  twice on a pitch where an opposition batsman scored almost that many single handedly at one go - would have been laughed at.

But it happened.

Actually, the famous Indian middle order comprising of the two leading run scorers in test cricket has been unable to put up a single score of over 300 in six attempts.

These are not the signs of a number one team!

In contrast, England has two double centurions so far in the series, and has put up the highest score of over 700 runs in an innings. They have found a man for all seasons. Everyone played their role in the team to perfection. Their bench strength has been phenomenal as well. Chris Tremlett, their first choice seamer, got injured after the first test. His replacement, Bresnan, however, has scored fifties and has taken wickets in a fashion that leads one to believe that he should have been in the team from the very start. Finn has still not been called upon.

India, on the other hand, has not been able to recover from the loss of Zaheer Khan in the first test. They have sorely missed their best seamer, who not only would have taken wickets but would have guided the young and inexperienced fast bowlers – the leader of the pack. Harbhajan Singh has had a poor series as well, and has been unable to either take wickets or control the flow of runs.

India’s reign at the top of the ladder was short lived, and they have now been usurped by a team that is more complete; a team that not only relies on its batsmen to gain victories but also has bowlers to keep the opposition in check. England deserves to be the number one side and look to be in a class of their own, at least for now.

As for India, nothing sums up their tour, so far, more graphically then Rahul Dravid’s reaction, on the 2^nd day of the third test at Edgbaston, after he had dropped Eoin Morgan. Dravid, normally stoic, tore away the blue cap from his head, and flung it in to the ground, as if willing it to burn a hole which he could crawl in to.

Only time will tell whether the Indian side is indeed in decline, or they just had a bad month in England.