Here’s Taha Hashim’s report on the game:
Right, that’s us just about done after another resounding India win. They look in decent nick for the Champions Trophy, which for them will be in the Gulf. And talking of gulfs, England couldn’t bridge any in a chastening warm-up series. Join us again when the Champions Trophy comes around, and in the meantime here’s some new-world Hundred news.
And the Spin on, topically, Tom Banton:
Thanks for your emails and for following. Bye.
Fun fact: only four England batters averaged more than 30 in this series.
A contented Shreyas Iyer speaks: Of his own performance the India captain praises Gill and Kohli for the platform they gave him. “Today I got the opportunity to excel … I’ve had some time to work on my technique and also the drop-in shots that get singles, that was more satisfying to me. The team is in great form and it’s a great boost to win the series and carry this momentum to the Champions Trophy. We’ve also worked a lot on fielding, as a team, as a unit, and I hope I might even get best fielder of the series.
The harrumphing begins in earnest, as England slip to their seventh white-ball defeat in eight on this tour. There have been isolated moments of encouragement – both today (albeit provided by bowlers over 30) and earlier – but no coherent whole. There’s been a chasm between these sides, in these conditions. And they won’t be much different in the Champions Trophy.
Here’s Gary Naylor: “If England don’t improve considerably in the Champions Trophy, who would you retain from this squad? Duckett, Brook, Smith, Bethell, Carse, Rashid, Archer. Seven from 17 for me.
I’d try / try again Ed Barnard, James Rew, Will Rhodes, Luc Benkenstein, Ben Coad, John Turner, Archie Vaughan, Sam Hain, Michael Pepper, Dan Mousley, Richard Gleeson, David Payne, Danny Briggs. Nathan Sowter, Dan Lawrence, Rehan Ahmed, Farhan Ahmed. They won’t all be good enough, but some might be.”
Pepper, Vaughan and Rew I’d certainly look at, and give Banton a go again, for what it’s worth.
Wicket! Atkinson b Patel 38, England all out 214 – India win by 142 runs
Thanks Jim. And my first slab of action to describe is Atkinson trying to cut missing and seeing his off-pole knocked back. England have been emphatically beaten. Again
34th over: England 214-9 (Atkinson 38, Mahmood 2) Atkinson continues to have some fun but mine has come to an end for the day. Tom Davies is here to tag in for the final wicket/insane England victory… goodbye!
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33rd over: England 208-9 (Atkinson 33, Mahmood 1) Gus Atkinson is teeing off, two scyhtes through the off side and a huge six down the ground! Proper shots too from Atkinson, the guy has a Test century dontcha know. Saqib Mahmood has joined him as England’s last man.
WICKET! Wood c Iyer b Pandya 9 (England 193-9)
Fun while it lasted, Wood is caught in the deep. England on the verge, India too.
32nd over: England 193-8 (Atkinson 19, Wood 9) England going for glory… Atkinson smears into the leg side for four and then edges Sundar past Rohit at slip for four more. Wood joins in the fun with a carve over point. 14 runs off it!
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31st over: England 179-8 (Atkinson 10, Wood 4) Mark Wood is the new batter and is about to play the innings of his life! Told you – Wood drives beautifully through the covers for four.
WICKET! Rashid b Pandya 0 (England 175-8)
Chopped on! A short ball from Hardik and Rashid is late on the pull, the bottom edge onto the stumps emitting the death rattle!
30th over: England 174-7 (Atkinson 9, Rashid 0) Adil Rashid joins Atkinson for the last rites of this miserable tour. This is shaping up to be another shellacking.
WICKET! Livingstone st Rahul b Washington Sundar 9 (England 174-7)
Great hands from KL Rahul behind the sticks, he grabs the ball speared down the leg side from Sundar and whips off the bails with Livingstone down a’wanderin.
29th over: England 172-6 (Livingstone 9, Atkinson 8) Livingstone aims a huge heave over the leg side but connects only with the night air. Runs dried up and wickets tumbling, a tale as old as time for England on this tour. They need 185 runs from 21 overs. They may as well chance their arm and see if they can pull of something inexplicable. I say that with everyone’s best interest at heart/ as someone doing their second OBO of the day…
28th over: England 168-6 (Livingstone 8, Atkinson 5) Washington Sundar comes back on, three singles followed by a hack for four through the covers by Atkinson. The crowd in full voice, they know they have this game in the bag.
27th over: England 161-6 (Livingstone 6, Atkinson 0) Brook was unlucky there, the replays show he played with soft hands but a little too late. A horrible way to get out. Atkinson is the new man. Big ask for GusGus.
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WICKET! Brook b Harshit Rana 19 (England 161-6)
Bowled him! Harshit Rana hurries Brook up and a cue end rolls back onto the stumps. England in the mire and dreaming of the plane home.
26th over: England 156-5 (Brook 19, Livingstone 1) KP is tearing into England’s batters in the comms box, he says only Joe Root has had a knock in the past few days and he’s the batter who least needs to improve his game against spin. He laments England’s lack of learning against the turning ball and fears for them with the Champions Trophy coming up in Pakistan. When he talks batting (and stays away from most other subjects) Pietersen is a good listen. He could walk the talk too. He’s fired up watching England go down one last time!
“They have improved… but at golf” drawls Ravi Shastri with a big old spoon for stirring just out of shot.
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25th over: England 154-5 (Brook 18, Livingstone 0) Liam Livingstone is the new man, he needs to play the innings of his life… he immediately comes down the track and Rana spots him, whanging down a bouncer that nearly takes the batter’s lid off. It’s a wicket maiden for Harshit Rana, half way through the overs and England are half a world away. *handclap*.
WICKET! Jos Buttler b Harshit Rana 6 (England 154-5)
Is that the game!? Buttler is crestfallen as the recalled Rana spears one through his defences first ball back. Buttler was playing with an angled blade and an inside edge splatters the stumps.
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24th over: England 154-4 (Brook 18, Buttler 6) Better from Brook, he launches Kuldeep down the ground for a mighty SIX and then nudges a single to rotate strike. Buttler works to leg for a couple and nurdles a single of his own. Eleven off it. 203 runs still needed…
23rd over: England 143-4 (Brook 11, Buttler 2) England struggling to rotate the strike, it’s a but feast or famine in the middle at the minute. Brook drives for four over the bowler for four but then pats back five dot balls.
22nd over: England 139-4 (Brook 7, Buttler 2) Kuldeep continues to squeeze, England can’t get him away and it’s just three singles off the over. Run rate rising like an inquisitive cobra…
21st over: England 136-4 (Brook 5, Buttler 1) England lose their anchor but they do have two dynamic hitters at the crease in Messrs Brook and Buttler. 221 runs still needed…
WICKET! Joe Root b Patel 24 (England 134-4)
Oh no! Root can’t believe he’s missed a simple push into the off side off Axar. The ball clipping his inside edge and hitting the base of the stumps. Jos Buttler comes out to join Harry Brook with plenty to do.
20th over: England 133-3 (Root 24, Brook 3) Kuldeep rattles through another cheap over.
19th over: England 129-3 (Root 22, Brook 1) India put the squeeze on after the wicket, these have been the passages that England have wilted on during this white ball tour. Can they weather the storm and come out the other side?
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WICKET! Banton c Rahul b Kuldeep Yadav 38 (England 126-3)
Banton is gone and it takes a beauty to get rid of him. Kuldeep spits one off a length and the tiniest tickle is snaffled behind the stumps. It’s so tiny that Banton isn’t sure if he hit it but the review is burned as UltraEdge shows a small spike. A decent comeback for Banton but England needed him to go on.
Harry Brook joins fellow tyke Root in the middle.
18th over: England 126-3 (Root 20, Brook 0)
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17th over: England 123-2 (Banton 37, Root 18) Axar to Banton after a slurp. Shot! Banton nails the reverse sweep for SIX once again. He’s so good at that shot, it’s been a trademark of his since he broke through as a teenager. The power and elevation he gets are remarkable.
16th over: England 115-2 (Banton 30, Root 17) Time for a drink, things tightly poised. Root reverses for four to keep England ticking.
“Hi James
Isn’t the sad fact that Banton is actually an anagram of bant on?”
Richard Whiteley would never have let that slip through eh Billy Mills.
15th over: England 109-2 (Banton 30, Root 11) Root pings a drive back at the bowler that Hardik swoops down on and hurls back at him in one fluid movement. The shy hits Root on the toe and the two men exchange a glare. Shot! Banton comes on strike and unfurls a textbook cover drive in the gap for four.
John Starbuck been getting his Countdown on:
“Jim, without wanting to put the mockers on him, I’m fairly confident that all OBO readers have noticed that Tom Banton’s surname is an anagram of bat on. Here’s hoping.”
14th over: England 101-2 (Banton 25, Root 9) The camera cuts to Paul Collingwood in the England dugout having a good old chuckle about Axar’s tittersome run out attempt. Kuldeep into the attack and starts well – just three runs off the over as England notch up their hundred.
13th over: England 99-2 (Banton 24, Root 7) India continue their constriction through Hardik but Banton steps to leg and smears through midwicket for a much needed boundary. WHADDDAMISS! Banton should have been run out by a country mile as he barbecues himself trying to take a single straight to backward point, he turns halfway down the wicket to try and make his ground, Axar thinks he can run the ball to the stumps before realising he’ll have to throw it, he does and it misses by a couple of feet. Proper criggit all round!
12th over: England 93-2 (Banton 18, Root 7) India are hauling England back into view after their rattling start. Axar goes for just four runs to make it nine runs in the last three overs.
11th over: England 89-2 (Banton 16, Root 5) Hardik Pandya into the attack as Rohit shuffles his deck. Root glides a single and Banton gets a pull away through square for four. Hardik then tightens up and gets out of the over with four dots.
10th over: England 84-2 (Banton 12, Root 4) Axar Patel starts his first stint with the ball. Five dot balls arrowed in at Tom Banton who can’t break the shackles. Make that a maiden, rattled off in the blink of an eye.
9th over: England 84-2 (Banton 12, Root 4) Sublime start from Joe Root who punches off the back foot with an angled blade to guide the ball for four behind point.
WICKET! Phil Salt c Patel b Arshdeep Singh 23 (England 80-2)
Arshdeep has the last laugh and now has both England openers in his back pocket! A pace off ball is steered tamely by Salt to point. Here comes Root-eh.
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Arshdeep continues into his fifth over, Salt backs away and scythes through the off side for four. The decibel level is muted in the crowd but ramped up in the comms box as KP and Ravi Shastri combine to assault the cochleas…
8th over: England 73-1 (Salt 17, Banton 12) What a shot! Banton reverse sweeps for SIX, timed to perfection and the ball soars away over fine leg. Close! Banton aims a huge moose down the ground but can only edge it, getting just enough on it to take the ball past the off bail and to ricochet off KL Rahuls’s webbing behind the stumps. Two singles off the last two balls makes it another dozen off the over for England.
7th over: England 61-1 (Salt 16, Banton 1) Banton defends his first ball from Arshdeep. His heart must be going like the clappers. He’s beaten next ball as he wafts at a back of a length delivery. He’s been out in the UAE batting like a prince on true wickets where the ball really come on quickly, he’ll have to adjust and quickly here as Arshdeep throws in his knuckle balls. He gets off the mark with a push down the ground and will keep the strike.
WICKET! Duckett c Sharma b Arshdeep Singh 34 (England 60-1)
The slower ball does for Duckett who slogs Arshdeep high in the air and Rohit takes a steepling catch. India needed that, here comes Tom Banton!
6th over: England 60-0 (Salt 16, Duckett 34) Washington Sundar summoned by Rohit, Salt drives in the air and Harshit Rana does well to dive and stop the ball whistling to the fence at wide mid on. Fifty up for England, they are rattling along at nearly ten an over. India were 23-1 at the same stage. There’s a hush in the crowd now as night falls and England put India to the sword. Four byes! Sundar fires it down leg and everyone misses it, Duckett won’t care a jot as the scoreboard keeps clattering. Salt clubs the final ball for four more to make it twelve runs off the over.
5th over: England 48-0 (Salt 9, Duckett 33) Duckett is ticking! Three boundaries in a row off Arshdeep! Spanked over long on, cut away through point and pulled away over square leg. Rohit has the double teapot out but it is brilliant batting. Make that four in a row! Duckett is limping like he’s been shot in the ‘arris but the limitation of movement/clarity of thought is working for him as he pings another pull through midwicket. Who needs to run when you are seeing it like a beach ball?
4th over: England 32-0 (Salt 9, Duckett 17) Runs! Duckett scoops away to fine leg with aplomb and then gets a bit of luck with the next ball as he chops it down past his stumps for four more. A single brings Salt on strike and he biffs through the leg side with plenty of bottom hand to make it three boundaries off the over. Dare I say it, this is a decent start from England. The camera pans to Tom Banton with his helmet on in the dugout. He’ll be in next. Penny for ‘em.
Read all about it! Australia lose a game of cricket! Read all about it!
3rd over: England 18-0 (Salt 5, Duckett 8) Arshdeep slides down the leg side and Salt gets a pad on it to pick up four leg byes. Three dots follow before the bowler drops short and is pongoed away to the square leg fence for four by Salt.
2nd over: England 10-0 (Salt 1, Duckett 8) Duckett picked up a niggle in the field and is struggling with his movement out there. We might see him stand and deliver even more than he usually does. Harshit Rana strays onto the pads and is flicked away through midwicket with Swiss clock timing from the wee man before he follows up with a pull through midwicket for four more!
Elsewhere, the money keeps pouring in to English cricket. Ali Martin has the latest on the Hundred sale as it approaches *Dr Evil Voice* – 1 billion dollars!
1st over: England 1-0 (Salt 1, Duckett 0) Arshdeep starts with the new ball, immediate shape back in to the right handed Salt who clips the second ball off his hip for a single to open England’s account. There is swing out there and the crowd are in full voice. Enough to get my ticker going on the sofa all of 4,251.24 miles away. Thereabouts. Fine start from Arshdeep, full and on the money, Duckett can’t get him away so it’s a solitary single off the first over.
Here come the players, Ben Duckett and Phil Salt mark their guards. England need a good start here, can they get one? Let’s find out. PLAY!
Elsewhere in the cricketverse, South Africa are playing Pakistan in Karachi and Australia have just lost to Sri Lanka in Colombo as the teams tune up for the Champions Trophy.
This is a tasty grab:
Agha pulls off a blinder to dismiss Breetzke #INDvENG #PAKvSA https://t.co/Inn80f1efH
— Zahoor Akash (@ZahoorAkash10) February 12, 2025
Thanks Daniel and hello everyone. England are going to go down in a blaze of runs or wickets. I know which my money is on…
While we wait for the England players to emerge - particularly one Tom Banton on his return to the England fold after four years in the wilderness – why not dive into this week’s Spin column, penned by some eejit who know’s nowt about nuthin.
I hated cricket, I didn’t really enjoy playing it, I just had to do it because it was a job.” Last week Tom Banton gave a revealing interview to Wisden’s Katya Witney about how he fell out of love with the game. Banton’s comments would have raised a knowing if rueful smile from every amateur cricketer across the land. Cricket has failure written through it.
Anyone who has had a summer weekend ruined and the ensuing week blighted by a golden duck, a dropped catch or ignominious bowling spell will relate. So too, Banton continues, can his fellow professionals: “When you talk to everyone who’s played a lot of cricket for a long period of time, there are moments in your career where you fall out of love with it for a bit.”
Righto, my watch is over; James Wallace will be with you shortly to croon you through England’s rip-roaring response.
England hung in there well, I guess, Adil Rashid bowling superbly after Shubman Gull and Shreyas Iyer set up a monster. They’ve got the firepower to chase this – just look at those names – but I think we’re all agreed what’s likely.
India set England 357 to win
India would’ve taken that at the start, England would’ve taken it at 30 overs.
WICKET! Singh st Salt b Wood 92 (India 356 all out)
Ashdeep swings, misses, sets off, and Salt underarms into the wickets.
50th over: India 354-9 (Arshdeep 0, Kuldeep 1) Kuldeepp gets off the mark immediately, then Arshdeep twizzles to into the on side, and this is a really good last over from Wood.
WICKET! Sundar c Brook b Wood 14 (India 353-9)
After two dots Washington has to go so he does, but he can’t get all of it – pace is pace, as they say – and loops a dolly to long-on.
50th over: India 353-8 (Sundar 8, Arshdeep 0) It’s Wood to finish off and he goes around to the left-handed Washington, two dots opening the over.
WICKET! Rana c Buttler b Atkinson (India 353-8)
Harshit goes again but this time the ball gets a little big on him, he can’t adjust, and sends a skier to extra.
49th over: India 353-7 (Sundar 14, Rana 13) Atkinson, who’s had a poor day, returns, and Washington, stretching front leg forwards and bat sideways, makes sure he gets something on a wide yorker, poking four to deep backward point. A single follows, then a slower ball lands exactly where Harhsit wants it to, a flowing swing meeting it perfectly and launching six over long-on. Two singles follow.
48th over: India 340-7 (Sundar 8, Rana 6) Wood returns and surely he’ll bowl heat at the stumps; he beats Harshit twice outside off but then, going a bit straighter in search of a wicket, the batter steps away and times a lush drive to the cover-fence for four. Meantime we see that Duckett is off the field, but he looks ready to return – just as well given he’s batting shortly. Which isn’t to say England don’t have options if he can’t open, just that his impetus at the top is sorely required but in the meantime, the final two balls of the over yield a single, so six from it, a decent return.
47th over: India 334-7 (Sundar 7, Rana 1) Looking again at the wicket, there’s a bit of reverse there, and England have actually come back pretty well here; at 30 overs, the evidence suggested they’d be chasing a fair few more than however many they’re getting set.
REVIEW! OUT!
It pitched in line and Rahul, looking to turn a yorker into the on side, misses; the ball hits his pad and woudl’ve hit leg-stump, a third of the way up.
WICKET! Rahul lbw b Mahmood 40 (India 333-7)
It looked a pretty decent shout, but at this stage of the innings, of course India review.
47th over: India 333-6 (Rahul 40, Sundar 7) Mahmood continues and might Wood not get another over? He’s got three left so definitely won’t bowl out, an avant-garde call from Buttler, all the more so when, after a one and a two, Rahul slashes thruogh backward point for four.
46th over: India 326-6 (Rahul 34, Sundar 6) Duckett gingerly fingers his groin– he fielded to the final ball over the last over – and that doesn’t look good for England. And nor, as Root continues, does the six Rahul smites, clearing the front leg and getting under a full one to hoist down the ground. Four singles follow, and that’s 11 off the over, though the way this pitch is playing, I fancy that Root can score on it.
45th over: India 315-6 (Rahul 26, Sundar 3) Mahmood returns so I guess it’s Atkinson who’ll not bowl his full complement, but he’s still exerting: after a one a dot and a two, he dives at 45 to limit Rahul’s drive to two. Two singles follow, and that’s eight from an over that felt inexpensive.
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44th over: India 308-6 (Rahul 21, Sundar 1) Just as we were saying, Root needed to stay on; Sunday knocks the last ball of his over to cover for one.
WICKET! Patel c Banton b Root 13 (India 307-6)
Somehow, England have fought back well at the death; I say somehow, I mean India, with runs in the bank and wickets in the hutch, are going at things, and Root, cunningly sending one a little wider, forces Axar to stretch and he can’t get enough of the ball, picking out Banton at long-off.
44th over: India 307-5 (Rahul 21, Patel 13) I was joking, but Root does indeed continue, ceding four singles and a wide.
“I’m wondering if Shubman Gill was once Shrubman Gill",” writes Andrew Benton. “I’m reading a book about the great hedge of India (really!) which was apparently planted for hundreds of miles, thick and tall and full of spiky shrubs, to prevent the illicit movement of salt (really!) without it being taxed, which it was 150 years ago. The intrepid author has not yet found any trace of historical hedge, but I’m only halfway through and remain hopeful he will.
It would appear that England have no chance at all now, they’ll not make 300 runs, or so say I.”
Sticking your neck on the line there, old boy! I’d love to see some illicit movement from Salt, though – he’s kept well today, but can he bat well too?
43rd over: India 302-5 (Rahul 19, Patel 11) Mahmood returns and Axar, in the mood, clobbers a poor loosener for four through mid-off. A dot, three singles and a dot follow; will Buttler allow Root to continue even though he can finish the innings with quicks?
“Once again I am grateful to be living in Australia,” brags Phil Withall, “although it is a very mixed blessing. I am about to retire for the night as another disappointing England performance unfolds. Work in the morning will, as had been so often the case, be a painful experience but I do have the bonus of not having to endure anymore disappointment. Never before has a 4.00am alarm been so welcome....”
Just wait till England’s first Champions Trophy match…
42nd over: India 295-5 (Rahul 18, Patel 5) With England now taking wickets at regular intervals, Buttler gives Root another go, I’ve no idea why, and after Rahul takes a single, Axar wallops over extra for four. Still, though, the target now looks like it might be chasable – in theory, obviously.
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WICKET! Pandya b Rashid 17 (India 289-5)
“An incredible bit of bowling from an incredible bowler,” coos KP, and rightly so. Drift takes it away from Pandya, who tries to play forward, then the ball straightens and turns back at him. Rashid has bowled beautifully today – that was his last delivery and he finishes with 4-64. If his teammates can support him, he can do something over the next few weeks.
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41st over: India 289-4 (Rahul 17, Pandya 17) India might have enough runs already, but need to respect how good England’s batters are at their best. So, after two singles, Rahid tosses one up … and Hardik skips down then smites a monster, six flying over long-off … then six more, this time just clearing Banton on the fence. The sprint is on!
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40th over: India 275-4 (Rahul 9, Pandya 2) How many of England’s players are nouns? Salt, Wood, Archer, Root, Smith, Brook, Bethell, Buttler and Overton by my reckoning. Anyhow, three singles off Atkinson’s first three balls, then a dot, then a gorgeous late cut from Rahul, under a bit of pressure to justify his selection never mind his selection at five. And he adds two more from the final ball, flicking to square leg. Nine off the over, and I’d expect India to open shoulders now.
39th over: India 266-4 (Rahul 9, Pandya 2) Hardik gets off the mark immediately, a single allowing Rahul to drive a short, wide one for four. Two singles follow and, though the over yielded a wicket, it also cost 11.
WICKET! Iyer c Salt b Rashid 78 (India 259-4)
It’s a procession! another down leg-side and Iyer looks to glance, but instead tickles an edge that Salt grabs very smartly. A fine knock, though.
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39th over: India 259-3 (Iyer 748 Rahul 4) Rashid replaces Livingstone and his first ball is a poor one, Iyer waiting for it and somehow getting it fine, on one knee; it drops just short of the rope, so only adds for.
37th over: India 255-3 (Iyer 74, Rahul 4) Atkinson, 0-45 off five, returns, and begins with a wide, the sends down another after a single to each batter. Two to deep backward follows, this over already worth six and only half-finished; tow singles and a leg bye mean it yields nine with the batters barely risking anything.
36th over: India 246-3 (Iyer 69, Rahul 3) I said England needed one more over from Livingstone or Root – Buttler must’ve decided the all out is unlikely – so the former returns. Good luck, old mate. And, well, his opening delivery is a half-tracker hauled from outside off to midwicket and they run two … but no need to run when he does it again, Iyer getting full value this time by carting off his hip and over the square-leg fence for six. Three singles follow, meaning 11 form the over.
36th over: India 235-3 (Iyer 59, Rahul 2) Shreyas has taken a back seat so far, but now the senior man he rest down the smack so gently it’s barely perceptible, waiting for Wood – yes, you read that correctly, he waited for someone hurling fire – before running down past off-stump for four. That is confidence, bottle and timing right there. I guess, looking down England’s batting lineup, there’s plenty of heat, but is there anyone with the form and application to make something serious? Seven off the over, the tempo soon to crank up again as India lengthen stride with the finish in sight.
35th over: India 228-3 (Iyer 53, Rahul 1) Rashid has been England’s best bowler today and in this series. Much as I’m trying not to say it and unfeasible as it is, I reckon he could do a job in the Test side. I know, I know.
WICKET! Gill b Rashid 112 (India 226-3)
Relief for England because Gill looked set for a granddaddy. But Rashid does him with the wrongun, full and dipping as he tries a tired sweep without bending the knee – you can see his rationale, Danaerys Targaryan-style – and he misses, ending a classy but vicious knock.
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35th over: India 226-2 (Gill 112, Iyer 52) Rahsid continues and slows down the pace, causing Shreyas to miss with a sweep; he then adds one to deep midwicket.
34th over: India 225-2 (Gill 112, Iyer 51) Wood continues and we get a false shot, the first in a while: Shreyas turns uppishly around the corner and of course the ball drops shy of deep square. That’s his fifty but he’ll not be satisfied with so poxy a score, though this over yields just two more singles and a wide; if this were a Test, England would be banging in short balls at this point, a tired idea but an idea nevertheless. If they have one here, let us say it is not obviously apparent.
33rd over: India 221-2 (Gill 111, Iyer 49) Desperately needing a wicket, Buttler returns to Rashid and he starts well, two singles from his first five balls … then Gill shuffles outside the line and down the track, tickling six back over the bowler’s heed. That’s drinks, and England will want a stiff one.
“Can you map out any scenario in which England are left chasing fewer than 400 today?” asks Brian Withington. “Just asking for a friend.”
Ey yeah, the OBO is by and for people who don’t have friends, so we’re all good.
Shubman Gill brings up his hundred!
32nd over: India 213-2 (Gill 104, Iyer 48) The shady parts of the grounds are now properly full, and here comes a treat for them: Mark Wood is back into the attack. But his second ball is full and straight, allowing Gill to twizzle for through midwicket; that’s his seventh ODI hundred and it’s been an absolute jazzer, following the 87 and 60 he made in the first two matches. He then gets down the other end via single, so Iyer, quietly and not so quietly accumulating, hoists four more over long off; 11 from the over, and yup, maybe it didn’t make sense for England to hold back their best bowler with India escorting them to Sketchley.
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31st over: India 202-2 (Gill 98, Iyer 43) Livingstone finagles his way through a seventh over – so he and Root are needed for just one more – ceding four singles as India raise their 200. Gill is nearly there.
30th over: India 198-2 (Gill 96, Iyer 41) This over they do it the other way around, Shreyas – now on 36 from 27 – turning off the thigh for four through fine leg. Sorry, make that 40 from 30, an inadvertent edge through third, looking to cut, adding a second boundary to the over. A single follows, meaning nine from it, and if the old method – doubling the score at this point to get a ballpark of the likely target – holds, England are in deep. And that’s before we consider what India’s bowlers will make of a track offering help to both spinners and quicks.
29th over: India 189-2 (Gill 96, Iyer 32) Gill is now within one hit of a century, his knock already one of relentless, remorseless devastation. But so far this series, the principal difference between the sides – though there’ve been a few – has been starts converted, and this is another. Anyroad, Buttler restores Livingstone to his, er, attack, and a much better effort cedes just two. the first since the 21st to cost less than six.
28th over: India 187-2 (Gill 95, Iyer 31) Buttler tries Mahmood – I guess he’s saving Wood, but I’d have given him a couple more by now because this is not going well. The first four balls go for singles, and you can probably guess the rest, but for the sake of completeness, a dot leaves us on the cusp of an acceptable over, then Shreyas waits for one, slapping a slow, short one over midwicket for four.
27th over: India 179-2 (Gill 93, Iyer 25) Livingstone replaces Rashid, so at the end of this over, his fifth, England will “only” need three more from him and Root. Meantime, after two singles, Gill – who’s been brilliant outside off – cuts for four yet again, the over yielding eight. India are punishing everything here, allowing no respite; the cruelty is inspiring.
26th over: India 171-2 (Gill 87, Iyer 23) Gill has been almost entirely untroubled today – though, in fairness, he only faced one ball from Mark Wood. But it’s Shreyas who strikes the big blow this over, four singles punctuated by a six: he steps inside the line to help one high around the corner and way over the rope at deep backward square.
25th over: India 161-2 (Gill 85, Iyer 15) Gill turns Rashid to deep backward square for two, then sweeps one to midwicket; Shreyas takes one of his own, then Gill reaches to cut two more to third. At the halfway stage, the hosts look poised to impose a brute.
24th over: India 155-2 (Gill 80, Iyer 14) Now England revert to pace, Atkinson replacing Livingstone and, as KP notes, this is a big spell for him given how his first went – and the squad-spot he’s hoping to clinch. And he does OK, his first five balls yielding four singles … then he offers Shreyas a full one, allowing the batter to swing, secure in the knowledge there’s no mid off to trouble him, and a decent over turns into an expensive one, eight from it.
23rd over: India 147-2 (Gill 78, Iyer 8) The crowd in this colossal arena is growing all the time and those there are being treated to a display from India, Iyer clattering Rashid’s first ball – too full and too wide, like me after a big meal and a few drinks – to the cover-fence. Three singles and two dots complete the over, and runs are coming so easily; if India have wickets in hand at the end, they could set something very significant here.
22nd over: India 140-2 (Gill 77, Iyer 2) Tight from Livingstone, three dots before Shreyas taps to mid off for one, getting himself settled, then Gill waits for one, his cut so late it’s dead, finishing the over with a four.
21st over: India 134-2 (Gill 72, Iyer 1) Drag-down from Rashid, and ye cannae bowl there tae him, son; Gill humps over midwicket for four. A single down the track follows, and India appear to be handling the loss of Kohli. I wondered if Buttler might’ve tried an over or two of pace against the new man just to try and get another wicket, but so far he’s sticking with spin.
20th over: India 129-2 (Gill 67, Iyer 1) I do like this pitch, I must say – it seems to have a bit of everything, good for batters and the better bowlers. I wonder whether, had the wicket not come, Buttler would’ve persevered with Livingstone, but now it has he almost has no choice. His first three deliveries yield singles, Shreyas off the mark with the second, then Gill opens the face and Mahmood chases down, slides, sweeps the ball away from the fence … and, as a replay proves, still concedes the boundary. Good effort, but.
WICKET! Kohli c Salt b Rashid 52 (India 122-2)
Beauty from Rashid, drifting, dipping, gripping, bouncing and turning, away from Kohli while brushing the edge, and that’s excellent work. The problem England have it that both of their wickets have required balls of obscene quality, but goodness me they needed that.
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19th over: India 122-1 (Gill 61, Kohli 52) Kohli forces one to cover, then Gill drops and runs for one more.
18th over: India 120-1 (Gill 60, Kohli 51) A wide opens the over, then Kohli goes hard over long-off, just about beating the fielder for the second six of the innings. A further single then raises his 50, before Gill skips down and hoists six more, arms fully extended! We wondered what might happen if Livingstone and Root were hit out of the attack – the batters will have noticed England need 10 overs from them – and we might be about to find out. Sixteen off the over, and this target could be a monster.
17th over: India 104-1 (Gill 53, Kohli 43) Two singles to start this second Rashid over, his line to Kohli on middle-and-leg. He’s looking to force him to hit against the turn, but when he gets down the other end, Gill laces a poor delivery through cover to raise his third fifty on the spin. In Hebrew, Gill means joy or happiness – MS, as in Dhoni, means ultimate truth – and he is that alright.
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16th over: India 97-1 (Gill 48, Kohli 41) England, desperately in need of a wicket, try Livingstone, whose first three balls go for singles – though both batters are trying to hit him to the fence, as three dots follow. If he can hold up an end, perhaps Rashid can find something to break a partnership that’s now 92 off 90.
15th over: India 94-1 (Gill 47, Kohli 39) Immediately Rashid, who bowled well last match, is causing problems and in comms, they wonder why England tried Root first. My guess is they hoped to fiddle a few overs before India really went after it, but my exegesis of Bazball tells me it should be pressure first: what does your opponent not want to face? Kohli takes one to long-off, the only run of the over, but can England find similar from the other end? Drinks.
REVIEW! NOT OUT!
Kohli is well down the track – once upon a time, that’s a flat not out – but there’s no bat involved, so we’ll need to see ball-tracking and face on. We’re waiting … and it pitched outside leg. Drift, baby. Your friend until it isn’t.
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15th over: India 93-1 (Gill 47, Kohli 38) Rashdi into the attack and his second ball hits Kohli’s pad. “Is it straight enough, is it straight enough?!” beseeches someone when the umpire says no and, after debate, England review just before time.
14th over: India 93-1 (Gill 47, Kohli 38) India are into this now, Gill twinkling down and getting outside the ball to buggy-whip six over long-on! He’s got such timing; such timing and such front. England badly need a wicket now and I’d expect to see Rashid very soon on a surface that might offer a bit of bounce and grip. Meantime, Atkinson is milked for singles then, last ball, another four – this time hauled around the corner to square-leg – makes this over another 14-runner.
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13th over: India 79-1 (Gill 35, Kohli 36) Root gets square-leg squarer, so when Kohli sweeps his first ball he goes fine, flicking to the fence, then takes a single which allows Gill to come down and whip over midwicket. Another single follows, then Kohli makes room to slot cross-batted through cover, a third four of an over which costs 14. I’m not sure we’ll see Root return.
12th over: India 65-1 (Gill 30, Kohli 27) A tighter over from Atkinson, just a wide ceded from its first four balls, then Gill slaps one to deep square. Otherwise, what do we make of Atkinson? I know he’s made a brilliant start of his international career, but I can’t help but wonder how much he’s benefitted from the standard of opposition; I can’t say I’m confident he’ll be effective playing Tests in Australia or India, but I’m excited to see him try.
11th over: India 62-1 (Gill 29, Kohli 26) Powerplay over, Root replaces Mahmood, and if India can get after him England will have a problem as they need him and Livingstone to send down 10 between them. And, as I type, Kohli goes down on one knee to flip a sweep, getting just enough of it to make four, then, on the stretch, he pushes forward and edges four more through third man. Ten off the over, and India are moving.
10th over: India 53-1 (Gill 28, Kohli 17) Atkinson replaces Wood and, after a single to Kohli, Gill edges four through gully. Then, after two dots, he’s offered a half-volley, and unveils a gorgeous on-drive for four. Nine off the over.
‘Morning, Dan,” begins John Starbuck. “What is a hadouken?”
This … this is a hadouken.
9th over: India 43-1 (Gill 20, Kohli 16) Mahmood cramps Gill, opening his over with three dots – that’s 10 in a row – so the batter charges, the bowlers pulls back his length … and the batter swats over mid-on for four. Those are the only runs from the over.
8th over: India 39-1 (Gill 16, Kohli 16) Wood bounds in and Kohli, looking to pull – attacking option, obviously – wears one on the elboid. I think he edges on to himself there, and it looks sore; doubtless it feels sore too, and he calls out the physio to kiss it better. Maiden.
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7th over: India 39-1 (Gill 16, Kohli 16) Mahmood in again, they try for a quick single, return, and the throw goes to the striker’s end. Direct hit and it’s long gone, but Salt has to field and break stumps, so Kohli has time to turn and return … then, next ball, a flamingo whip, one-legged, to midwicket, punishes the oversight with four – his wrists must be made of metallic elastic – then a cut earns four more. Mahmood, though, rebounds well, landing one on a length and in the corridor; again, Kohli goes, blood in is mouth, blaming non-apparent movement when he misses, ball passing his off-stump by almost nothing. A single follows, and that’s nine off the over, making this a decent start – especially for a side that lost its captain at the start of the second.
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6th over: India 30-1 (Gill 16, Kohli 7) Two slips and two gullies as Wood tears in again, beating Kohli outside off again, the ball swinging away late. But he survives and a single apiece follows, the second a tight one, then a flick to deep square keeps the scoreboard ticking … and outside edge between the aforementioned two pods of two adds four more. Somehow, that’s seven off another menacing over.
5th over: India 23-1 (Gill 11, Kohli 5) Mahmood hasn’t looked anything like as threatening a the bloke hurling 1000mph exocets, and Gill clumps him down the ground for four, then flicks away for two. India are settling.
4th over: India 17-1 (Gill 5, Kohli 5) Wood’s first over was so good his second has the sense of an occasion, as we learn today is the first time he’s taken a wicket between overs 1 and 32 playing an ODI in India. I guess that’s one reason he’s not guaranteed his spot in the side and, as I type, he overpitches a touch and Virat, stood outside the crease, strokes him fo fo through extra, then picks out the fielder next ball. That’s confidence – deliberately getting closer to a bowler unleashing hadoukens – and reactions. This could be quite a duel.
3rd over: India 12-1 (Gill 5, Kohli 1) Back to waking up to sport, the Champions Trophy is in Pakistan and UAE, so those of us in the UK have plenty of enriched mornings coming up. I’ve recently learnt this is partly an ADHD thing – I appear to arrange my life so I’ve the sense of something happening, always – but on a very basic level, it’s better than work and anything else that might be going on, adding movement and buzz to every day. I mean, just have a look at Shubman Gill, showing Mahmood the full face and timing four through cover; to be kvelling at 8.15am is a set-up to a day.
2nd over: India 8-1 (Gill 1, Kohli 1) Wood has found his rhythm here: his first delivery was a jaffa and so is his second, angling in and ripping away; it’s far too good for Kohli, who looks to flick into the on side and cannot. He does, though, get off the mark with a shove to cover, and won’t mind watch this from the non-striker’s, but when Gill paddles to wide deep third, he’s another ball to negotiate and tries to whip away the bat but winds up patting it into the turf.
WICKER! Sharma c Salt b Wood 1 (India 6-1)
Such is this thing of ours! A ton one day, a single the next, and this is a beauty of a loosener from Wood, seam upright, landing on a length and nipping away, appearing to magnetise the edge; the delivery is so lush, Rohit can’t leave it alone, and he guides into the hands of the tumbling keeper.
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2nd over: India 6-0 (Rohit 1, Gill 0) There’s not much better about existence than waking up to sport, but excuse me while I interrupt myself!
1st over: India 6-0 (Rohit 1, Gill 0) Saqib opens with a yorker, dug out by Rohit for one, then finds shape away from Gill, who leaves alone. But five wides follow – that’s not a good delivery, shaping down leg-side, but the ball absolutely flies off the surface. Six off the over and a decent start from India that required of them no risks.
…and play. Saqib with the ball and a pair of slips.
Our players are with us…
Email! "“I just read that Buttler has won 12 of his last 13 coin tosses,” says Tom van der Gucht. “Is he wasting all his luck in the toss and not saving enough of it for out in the middle? Perhaps he should forgo the toss and just let the other captain choose in order to save some good fortune in the bank for his team.”
Alternatively, imagine how battered his team would’ve got had he lost the tosses.
Last evening, India announced that Jasprit Bumrah won’t make the Champions Trophy squad – he’s injured – while Yashasvi Jaiswal has been left out. This is their squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy. Non Travelling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube.
The thing is, over the last bit, it’s not just the bowling that’s not been working but the batting and the fielding. England have a lot of talent, but it’s not firing: when they were good, you knew that in pretty much every innings, someone would do something, but now they’re struggling as a collective.
England are going to need some contributions up-front. If they let India get away, this could be a long day; Mark Wood, Saqib Mahmood and Gus Atkinson are under pressure.
Teams!
India: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Harshit Rana.
England: 1 Ben Duckett, 2 Phil Salt (wk), 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook, 5 Jos Buttler (capt), 6 Tom Banton, 7 Liam Livingstone, 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Saqib Mahmood.
In the studio, they’re a little surprised England haven’t gone with their firsr team – they’d said Jofra Archer would play two of the three matches. But, as Steve Finn notes, he and Brydon Carse are both definites so perhaps it’s a bowl-off between the rest.
Rohit would’ve batted as India have chased twice. He enjoyed it out in the middle last game, it was a knock he needed, and asked about the fielding in this series, which has been good, he says a lot of the players take a lot of pride in it, especially the younger lads. Otherwise, Ravi Jadeja and Mohammed Shami are rested while Varun Chakravarthy has a sore calf; in come Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar and Arshdeep Singh.
Buttler says maybe the dew will make it skid on later, but also England have batted first twice so, with the Champions Trophy in mind, he wants them to experience the other side of things. The wicket looks decent, so he’ll see how it plays today, and makes one change: Tom Banton for Jamie Overton.
England win the toss and will field
When under the pump, stick with what you know.
Preamble
Psst, let me tell you something funny: once upon a time and not for very long, England’s men were good at 50-over cricket. I know!
Now, though, they’re back getting hosed on the reg, a miserable World Cup followed by series defeats to West Indies, Australia, West Indies again, and now India. Somehow, it’s like slipping into an old tracksuit with bourbons in your hand and Grange Hill on the telly, and also like necking a load of ayahuasca while pouring bleach up your nose.
And though England can afford to lose this series – just as well, really – a week Saturday, they begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Australia. They’ll not be wanting another tournament embarrassment, and though many sages feel the world has never needed Bazball more, it couldn’t currently be said to be working.
So, though India hold an unassailable 2-0 lead, England desperately need to find some form, and fast – without the hamstrung Jacob Bethell, one of few in the squad currently enhancing his reputation, the all-rounder replaced with Tom Baton, a batter.
And yet this remains a talented group; the question is whether enough members of it can fire at the same time, or
Play: 8am GMT, 1pm local
