There was no Gabba-like climax in Old Trafford. However, there was every bit of drama in Manchester except a contest between the bat and ball. India’s tour of England 2021 was about Test cricket of the highest quality. Covid-19, mental health and – perhaps – cricket board politics took centre stage,
As we await the final verdict on the series result, let us revisit the cricket played we witnessed over a month in a bid to pick the combined India-England XI.
Openers:
Rohit Sharma (India)
Tests 4 | Runs 368 | HS 127 | Ave 52.57 | 100s 1 | 50s 2 | Catches 3
India owe a significant part of their 2-1 lead to Rohit. England is among the most challenging places to open, especially for a middle-order batter having to adapt late in his career. Quashing the doubts over his technique against the moving ball, Rohit slammed two fifties and a hundred in the series.
At Lord’s, Rohit’s 83 set the tone for India’s win. Three weeks later, at The Oval, he slammed his first overseas hundred to help India claw back into the Test, which they ended up winning.
K.L. Rahul (India)
Tests 4 | Runs 315 | HS 129 | Ave 39.37 | 100s 1 | 50s 1 | Catches 3
Shubman Gill was expected to open in the first Test before an injury ruled him out. Mayank Agarwal, next in line, he got injured. K.L. Rahul grabbed the opportunity, making his 2018 experience count. His 84 at Trent Bridge placed India in a strong position. At Lord’s, he was involved in a match-defining 126-run opening stand with Rohit as he went on to strike a hundred.
His partnerships at the top with Rohit were among the few bright spots in an otherwise lacklustre batting show by India.
Middle-order:
Cheteshwar Pujara (India)
Tests 4 | Runs 227 | HS 91 | Ave 32.42 | 50s 2
Pujara had a strange outing. He failed to reach double figures in the first innings of all four Tests but presented a different version of himself in the second innings. He looked good for his unbeaten 12 at Trent Bridge, scored a vital 45 at Lord’s, his 91 at Headingley kept India alive in the Test, and he was involved in a critical 153-run stand with Rohit at The Oval.
Joe Root (England)
Tests 4 | Runs 564 | HS 180* | Ave 94 | 100s 3 | 50s 1 | Wicket 1 | Catches 7
By far the best batter in the series, Root remained the force behind England’s batting, often single-handedly bailing them out of the miseries. The England captain has been the best batsman of 2021, having struck six centuries already. A little more support from the rest of the batters could have altered the series result in England’s favour.
After the Leeds’ win, Root became England’s most successful Test captain, going past his boyhood hero Michael Vaughan. He is often expected to don the lead spinner’s role in this side.
Virat Kohli (India) | Captain
Tests 4 | Runs 218 | HS 55 | Ave 31.14 | 50s 2 | Catches 6
Kohli started the series with a golden duck, falling to arch nemesis James Anderson. His batting remained far from its best throughout the series, often falling to the corridor of uncertainty outside off-stump. Though he batted well in patches, the big scores that had once become his habit eluded him. He did play crucial hands with four scores in excess of 40.
Kohli led the side brilliantly, especially in India’s wins at Lord’s and the Oval. With a 2-1 result favouring him, the Indian captain leads this side.
Jonny Bairstow (England) | Wicketkeeper
Tests 4 | Runs 184 | HS 57 | Ave 26.28 | 50s 1 | Catches 9
Bairstow got a start in five of the seven innings he batted but could only convert one of them to a fifty. Considering the lack of experience in the English batting unit, he was expected to lend more support to Root.
Three men have kept wickets in the series. Bairstow batted better than Rishabh Pant and Jos Buttler, hence making the cut in this side.
All-rounders:
Shardul Thakur (India)
Tests 2 | Runs 117 | HS 60 | Ave 39 | 50s 2 | Wickets 7 | BB 2/22 | Ave 22 | SR 42
The Oval match was Thakur’s Test. He slammed the fastest Test fifty in England to bring India back into the match on Day 1. The next day, he dismissed England’s top-scorer Ollie Pope. On Day 4, his 60 gave India the extra cushion as they extended the lead, and on the final day, he picked up key wickets of Rory Burns and Root, helping India to the lead.
His counterattacking batting pushed England back in the series. His strike rate reads an incredible 103. He also had a good game at Nottingham, where he picked up four wickets.
Chris Woakes (England)
Test 1 | Runs 68 | HS 50 | Ave 34 | 50s 1 | Catches 1 | Wickets 7 | BB 4/55 | Ave 19.71 | SR 40.2
Woakes might have played just one Test, but he made a significant impact there. His return provided England with the much-needed zest on a good batting track. He floored the Indians with the ball on Day 1 of the Oval Test. With the bat, his half-century helped England stretch their lead. As the surface eased out from the third day, he continued to toil with the ball, claiming three more wickets.
Pacers:
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Tests 4 | Wickets 18 | BB 5/64 | Ave 20.83 | SR 50.3 | Runs 87
Coming into the series, there were questions raised over Bumrah’s form. Dismissing every doubt from critics, Bumrah produced splendid bowling spells to keep India ahead in the series.
Among several delightful shows by the pacer this series, the highlight remains the wickets of Pope and Bairstow on the final day at the Oval – full deliveries that swerved in to uproot the stumps brought back the memories of the vintage Bumrah. During the same innings, he became the fastest Indian pacer to 100 wickets, going past Kapil Dev.
Somewhat unexpectedly, Bumrah also made crucial contributions with the bat in both Tests that India won.
Ollie Robinson (England)
Tests 4 | Wickets 21 | BB 5/65 | Ave 21.33 | SR 47.5 | Catches 1
It has been quite an eventful year for Robinson. After a brilliant Test debut against New Zealand in June, he found himself in the middle of a controversy over historical racist tweets that even transcended the British Parliament walls.
He returned after serving a ban, but no sheen was lost as he emerged as the highest wicket-taker in the series. He was the Player of the Match in the Leeds Test, England’s only win this series.
In the absence of Stuart Broad, Robinson exhibited brilliant maturity to give England hope for the future as they prepare for the post-Anderson era.
James Anderson (England)
Tests 4 | Wickets 15 | BB 5/62 | Ave 24.66 | SR 65.4 | Catches 1
The clichés do not sound like that anymore when you discuss James Anderson. Yes, he continues to age like wine and indeed proves that age is a number. At 39, he remained India’s biggest threat, playing a massive role in ensuring Kohli and Pujara’s bat stayed quiet.
India won the toss at Leeds and elected to bat. But Anderson had other plans, and his spell in the first session scripted India’s 78 and later the defeat.
The flavour of the series was pace to win. No wonder this side has five specialist pacers.
India tour of England Combined XI: Rohit Sharma, K.L. Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Joe Root (vc), Virat Kohli (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Shardul Thakur, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Jasprit Bumrah, James Anderson.
12th man: Ravindra Jadeja