India on an unbeaten streak on home soil thanks to superior clutch performances

The home side have enjoyed unparalleled success at home. Beat Australia, beat South Africa, beat New Zealand and beat West Indies — all by handsome margins.
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MOHALI : The fifth evening of the Rajkot Test was a film India had not revisited for sometime. In isolation, it may have not been much, but it was the first draw in a completed Test in the country over the last four years (England, incidentally, were the last visiting team to achieve the feat — Nagpur in December 2012).


Since that evening in Nagpur, the home side have enjoyed unparalleled success at home. Beat Australia, beat South Africa, beat New Zealand and beat West Indies — all by handsome margins. In terms of runs, their narrowest win was by 108 runs over the Proteas in the first Test at Mohali in 2015. In terms of wickets, it was over Australia by six wickets (in Mohali and New Delhi).


This goes to show just how hard England’s task is right now. However, if any country knows what it takes to beat India, it is them. They are the last visiting country to have won here, and have not lost to India in a Test series since 2008. One of the main reasons why Alastair Cook moaned about missed chances during the game in Mohali. “It’s frustrating,” he said.


“We had an opportunity to get ahead in the game (after winning the toss), but weren’t good enough to take it.”


India are on an unbeaten streak on home soil not seen in decades, thanks to superior clutch performances. Rohit Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha bailed them out in Kolkata against New Zealand, Virat Kohli hung around in Rajkot, and Cheteshwar Pujara put his hand up against South Africa in a sorry excuse for a pitch at Mohali.


Ingredients that weren’t happening when England were here in 2012, according to Cook. “The India we played in 2012 was different,” he said. He didn’t namecheck the likes of Sachin Tendulkar but called the team ‘ageing’. “It was probably an ageing squad, compared to what it is now. A different setup, more youngsters who’ve had four years more experience playing in these conditions. We were also more experienced in 2012. That’s probably the main difference.”


Cook isn’t overreaching when he says they haven’t played to potential, and that’s not pleasing him to say the least. “We haven’t delivered. There’s nothing worse than that actually, when you know you can play better and are not quite doing it.”


A mental break from cricket beckons, as the team is scheduled to fly out to Dubai sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday night, and Cook has a clear message. The last 10 days or so have not been good enough.

“There were no magic balls being bowled,” he said of the defeat here. “It was good, accurate bowling, nothing unplayable about any of it. You can talk whatever way you want, but the top order has to deliver more.”


In 2012, they also had KP, two letters that have been permanently banned from the England sporting dictionary. Aside from Kevin Pietersen, the side also had two extremely good spinners, who understood what worked. In the current avatar, they are carrying passengers. “I think all of us misread this pitch a bit,” England’s record Test scorer said.


“If we had known what we know now, we would’ve played four seamers and two spinners.” Discussing cricketing issues in Dubai may not be the idea of a break, but the tourists might ha­ve to talk about those things if th­­ey are to implement changes in Mumbai.swaroop@newindianexpress.com

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