A ‘dead’ rubber in a Test series is no longer an opportunity to experiment with the bench-strength. Thanks to the World Test Championship, no team risks the points earned. Teams in contention for a spot in the final do not get influenced by the outcome of an ongoing series.
When the fifth and final Test between India and England begins here at the picturesque HPCA Stadium on Thursday, there will be no let up in the intensity in both camps. The current 3-1 scoreline could have looked a lot different, but credit to India for seizing the big moments after squandering them in the first Test.
From India’s point of view, it is a good time to reflect on what this series has thrown up instead of being satisfied with the much-anticipated series-win. This series has exposed the vulnerability of the Indian batters even against dubutant spinners in home conditions. In contrast, some English batters gave a much better account of facing quality home spinners.
