England v India - A bitter reality check for team India
The English tour for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625) World Cup 2011, a few months after becoming the number one team in Test cricket by dethroning the long-time top team
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
However, India have failed to back the hype attached to them by getting a cruel beating in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 by the hands of the hosts who also gained momentum after smashing the Australians in the back to back Ashes series.
With both teams being the best in the longest format of the game, it made sense to finally see them fight it out to put at rest the question of who the real champions are in Test cricket.
England, who were severely underrated before the much hyped four-match series, have left the Indian fans in general and team India in particular flabbergasted after displaying a mockingly impressive show in the three Tests that have been played so far.
Before the first Test at Lord’s all focus was being given to the anticipated 100th century of India’s number one batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Tendulkar-c2556, however, the Lord’s hammering left India with more important things to worry about than an individual’s
100 runs.
Perhaps, this has been India’s main problem right from the beginning that even after becoming the top team in the world they are more obliged to depend on a few individual performances than a whole team effort, perhaps had they put more thought into forming
a potent game play for the series, England might have faced a real challenge this summer.
Nonetheless, the former number one team lost to the hosts as if amateurs playing against pros. India was expected to do far better than what they came up with in England and this is a performance unbecoming of champions by all standards.
On the other hand, fans in England have had a great series so far where they have seen the home side rise at the top level and for once in almost two decades the general public in England is taking interest in cricket, the game which was invented the host
country.
India can be blamed for their demise because rising at the top is never too hard; however, staying there is easier said than done. The Indian commentators and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were supporting their side by turning a blind
eye to the team’s shortcomings, instead of highlighting the obvious flaws they were more content on commemorating their cricketing heroes who were yet to prove their mettle by taking on the rest of the world.
Nevertheless, India have now been dethroned and in the last match which is set to begin from 18 August at the Oval, the tourists need to give a chance to the uncapped players to initiate a rebuilding phase as many would agree that most players in the Indian
outfit are over the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hill-c63180 and the BCCI should have the courage to discard big names who were once the best but now are an excess cargo for the national team.
If in any instance India win the upcoming five-match series against the hosts in England it should not overshadow the embarrassing beating they received in the Tests and once the team lands back home, serious steps need to be taken to inject young blood
in the team which might help India to avoid another smashing in future Test series.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent Bettor.com’seditorial policy.
Tags: