By V.N. Prasad

Bravo boys. You have done India proud by drawing the fourth Test. Yes, we know that anything is possible in Test cricket. But, to imagine our boys batting and battling more than five sessions to salvage a 311 runs deficit was simply out of the world. The wicket played cruel. Indifferent bounce and troughs/ lows caused injuries as Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse bowled their hearts out. But the defiant Indians stood strong as the Englishmen turned yellow as the time ran out for the shake of hands eventually.

“New Records were created at Old Trafford.” Joe Root surpassed Ricky Ponting to aggregate the second highest number of runs in Test cricket; only behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. And, 669 in the 2nd inning by England was the highest total by a team at the Old Trafford. Indeed, England did very well. But our boys were better. Centuries by Joe Root and Ben Stokes were fluent; as openers Zak Crawley, Ben Ducket and Ollie Pope rendered strong support. But, our boys outsmarted you on the 4th and 5th days.

Imagine. India were reduced to 0/2; as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan surrendered like novices. What followed was simply epic. Undoubtedly, brilliant 90 by K.L. Rahul (in fact the off cutter from Stokes was unplayable), patient and foundation laying 103 by skipper Shubman Gill, magnificent 101 by young Washington Sundar and a mature 107 by Ravindra Jadeja totally eclipsed all other centuries by the Englishmen; particularly 150 by Joe Root and 141 by skipper Ben Stokes in this Test. They were brilliant, no doubt. But centuries by our boys were defiant, heroic and valiant; that saved us from the jaws of defeat.

I for one felt that the ‘Man of the Match’ award should have gone to skipper Gill than to skipper Ben Stokes. Ok. Six wickets in the Test and 141 were defining. Logically, it was Gill’s masterly hundred that laid very strong foundation for Rahul, Sundar and Jadeja to build and draw the Test. And, that should have been the factor for consideration. Anyway.

Amidst of all ecstasies, are there any serious issues for our Head Coach Gautam Gambhir to ponder. It is an emphatic yes.

1. Analysis by Sunil Gavaskar, Nasser Hussain, Michael Vaughan revealed that “Skipper Gill wanted Kuldeep Yadav in the team; but the Head Coach Gambhir side-lined Gill and brought in Shardul Thakur instead.

2. Imagine the morale of the skipper under such situations. In fact it should be the prerogative of the skipper to opt for the best eleven.

3. We hope better sense will prevail for the final Test at The Oval.

4. Is Sai Sudharsan mature enough. Well, I doubt — despite his 61 in the 1st inning. He should have gone at 20. Thanks to keeper Smith who dropped a simple catch. He is vulnerable to deliveries on his leg. He can be trapped in the arc between two leg gullies, leg slip and behind the stumps.

5. Is Jaiswal psychologically strong and technically sound to be called a settled opener. Well, NO. In both the innings, he simply threw away his wicket. Woakes bowled beautifully to get him and Sai no doubt. But, Jaiswal looked petrified as he walked into the crease.

6. Do our seamers have anything to learn from Ben Stokes. Indeed yes. He bowled aggressively inducing hook and outer edge very intelligently. We were only lucky that he injured his hamstring while batting on 66 and never recovered completely to bowl in our second inning.

All in all, hearty congratulations to our boys. Now, we fly into London and face the final Test at The Oval with tremendous confidence. We do hope they will emerge victors and salvage a 2-2 series. And, let me tell you. It will be more than a series victory; in context of the historic draw at the Old Trafford.