India in England 2007 – Series Preview

English tours have been landmark events in India’s cricket history. The very first tour in the 1932 saw India stun an illustrious English line up – Percy Holmes, Herbert Sutcliffe, Frank Woolley, Wally Hammond, Douglas Jardine, Eddie Paynter and Leslie Ames on the opening day – Mohammad Nissar earned a place on the Lord’s honours board, and England were bowled out for 259. That English line up was to regain the Ashes later that year under Jardine’s uncompromising leadership and leg-theory. As with much else about India’s cricket in England, this first tour was a story of individual brilliance amidst collective mediocrity. Since that solitary Test match in 1932, India have toured England in 1946, 1952, 1959, 1967, 1971, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996 and 2002. They have won twice (1971, 1986), and drawn once (2002). The stand out feature of each of these tours has been solid collective effort. 2002 was Dravid’s tour. But consider this – Tendulkar made a 92,193,54, Ganguly made 99,128,51, Sehwag had scores of 84 and 96, VVS Laxman made runs almost every time he had a hit without ever making a big hundred – even Ajit Agarkar made a century. Wasim Jaffer who lost his opening slot during this tour, had a 50 to his name as well. In 1986, an attack which consisted of bowlers good enough to be “3rd seamers in a county attack at best” kept up the pressure collectively, while Dilip Vengsarkar and stubborn late order batting provided enough runs. There was Maninder Singh as well. In 1971 it was even more so. The great spinners were on top of their game, while the runs came from the large majority of batsmen. There was Chandra to deliver the killer blow at the Oval.

In all other tours, there have been some magnificient stand out performances – Mushtaq and Merchant with their double century opening stand in Old Trafford in 1936, Vijay Manjrekar and Vijay Hazare with their double century stand in the first innings at Leeds in 1952 against Fred Trueman at his fastest (sadly undone by that famous 0/4 start in the second innings – Trueman 4/27) or be it the brilliant fight back after following on at Headingley in 1967, inspired by the Nawab of Pataudi’s 148 (made with one eye), or Gavaskars century at Manchester in 1974 on a wicket which could not be distinguished from the outfield by the naked eye, or his mammoth 221 in the fourth innings (i think it is still the highest innings in the 4th innings of a Test) at the Oval in 1979 – or Kapil Dev’s all round exploits in 1982, Tendulkar’s match saving century at age 17 in 1990, Azharuddins majestic 179 at Lord’s in that same series, or the brilliant debuts of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid…………. all come to naught because India couldn’t bowl England out cheaply enough. A number of English batsmen have filled their boots against India – in recent times most notably Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussein (Indian batsmen have returned the favor, with the result that draws have remained the most favored outcome).

In this series, there is an even greater likelihood of high scoring draws – what with both sides going in with depleted bowling lineups. The series is likely to be decided on the basis of a single poor innings – much as the series in 1990 and 1996 were decided. England have been more successful in England in recent times – they have dominated all opposition except Australia and Sri Lanka. India do not have a Mutthiah Muralitharan in their ranks, and so their batsmen will have to put up the runs in atleast two, if not all three Test matches and hope that the bowlers can produce an inspired spell or two to force a win atleast once. On balance though, England are more likely to achieve this compared to India.

Both teams have problems at the top of the order, all though Andrew Strauss does not represent as much of a problem to England as Wasim Jaffer does to India. India have other selection issues in the batting department, which essentially boil down to a choice between two options – Karthik to open and keep wickets, and Yuvraj to bat at number 7, with Dhoni missing out; and Dhoni to keep wickets and bat a number 7, Karthik to play as a specialist opener and Yuvraj to miss out. G Rajaraman makes a persuasive case for the latter option, but reports suggest that the dilemma may be resolved based on Dhoni’s form with the gloves.

Recent seasons have suggested that the era of stray individual brilliance which has little or no bearing on the result of the contest due to the ordinary efforts supporting it are a thing of the past as far as India’s overseas trysts are concerned. Unlike in say the year 2000, India are now expected to win a Test match on each tour. England will represent their stiffest Test yet – more difficult than South Africa or Pakistan. England have had a phenomenal home record in this decade – they are 31-11-11 (W-L-D) in 53 home Test matches played over 8 seasons (2000-07), and not counting the Ashes defeat of 2001 (the only series where they were outclassed), they are 30-7-11 (W-L-D). To put this in perspective, India have played 62 home Test match in the last 17 years and have a 30-12-17 (W-L-D) record. We consider these years (Anil Kumble, strong spin attack after the drought of the 1980s) to be years of dominance at home.

English tours have been especially important in the life of Rahul Dravid – he made a memorable debut (made 95 at Lord’s and walked!) and followed it up with an 84 in his two tests on his first tour in 1996, and emerged as a truly great batsman with his mastery in 2002. It remains to be seen whether this tour, coming as it does in the aftermath of his worst days as an Indian captain turns out to be just as memorable. He has started well (India’s first ever ODI series win against SA outside India). I just have a feeling that it might. Where the wickets will come from – that has always been and remains in this tour as well the key question. In 2002 it was the sheer pressure of runs and Anil Kumble which brought 20 wickets. A similar collective effort will be needed in 2007. Our best chance (and traditionally the best way to win Test matches) would be to force England into a substantial fourth innings on the fifth day. It will require India to compete on the first innings and not commit batting yahoos like Cape Town.

I hope India play well at Lord’s. That will be half the battle….

Players to watch for : Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Stuart Broad, Monty Panesar…… and .. Sachin Tendulkar. There is also the small matter of an Essex opener, who is also a left hander (both very much India’s bogies – Essex batsmen in general – Hussein, Gooch, and left handers) and made a century on Test debut in India in 2006.