India’s woes multiply, but series wide open

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli are as good as they come. India’s spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, bowled a more restrictive line into the batsman’s pads. By doing so he, or indeed his captain, gave the opposition the message that they didn’t think they could get 20 wickets.

Some messages are subliminal, others more direct. Maybe, deep down, Dhoni didn’t believe he had the bowling to win a Test match on the surface at Southampton. And that impacted his decision making very quickly. He thought he had to close one end, rather than search for wickets from both ends, and in doing so, he probably made it easier for England. It was a sight we had seen before. Every time India play the waiting game, setting defensive fields and waiting for the opposition to make a mistake, India are in trouble.

It is noticeable that the two occasions on which the game swung India’s way, India took the braver option: Jadeja attacking and Ishant bowling short at Lord’s. I suspect, and I realise hindsight is a wonderful tool, that India have misread the pitches here. Even if it doesn’t seem apparent early on, there is turn and a fair bit of bounce by the end of the game. But India haven’t sought to use spin as an attacking weapon, something that they will almost be forced to do in the remaining games by the tapering away of the quicker bowlers. I think too that the lesson from Southampton, give decks that reward the bowlers that hit it hard, will be visible in the remaining games.

On pitches where the ball seams around, like on the first three days at Lords, India’s skiddy bowlers were fine. But when it came to banging the ball in, India didn’t have the arsenal.

At 1-1 with two to play, India seem to have a few more issues than England.

Southampton was good for England with Cook and Bell getting their confidence back and Buttler easing himself in. Their major problem seems the over-reliance on Anderson and Broad who have made it easier for the others, Plunkett and Moeen, to pick up wickets. If they should lose these two, they could be vulnerable. And the form of Buttler and Moeen gives them the balance they so needed.

No.6 or 7 for MSD

Balance is still an area of concern for India. Dhoni says the fifth bowler didn’t bowl enough though that could be an indicator of his own confidence in him. Dhoni’s own batting, while admirable for its intent, seems better suited at number seven. Yet, he has to bat at six because India’s bowling looked very insufficient at Southampton. In numbers and in quality!

It wouldn’t have been as much of an issue had the openers been getting India off to a start. To my mind, that is as big an issue. When India play overseas, the openers set the scene for everyone else. It may not be as critical in India where the new ball quickly ceases to be a factor in the game, but in England it is vital.

The last half century partnership, let alone a century partnership, came over three years ago. You can see why Dhoni was tempted to err on the side of an extra batsman.

India’s fast bowling and slip catching will be tested in the next couple of weeks. Shami has much to offer but is inconsistent.

Bhuvaneshwar is earnest but on the hit-the-deck pitches he doesn’t have the arsenal. And so it is mandatory that every chance is taken. In recent times, India’s slips have been a touch too porous. Jadeja, Rahane and Kohli, brilliant outfielders each, have all dropped catches and what was once a specialist position is now a revolving door.

But a week can still change things. An hour on the first morning can. This series is alive and at a time when most tours end, there are still two to play.