Indian cricket donning whites failed in England but in the blue shade, Rohit Sharma’s men found success in the subsequent limited overs jousts. After the long delayed fifth Test ended in defeat at Edgbaston, the Twenty20I and ODI series that followed revealed a squad more at home within the abridged versions. The Men in Blue won both sets at an identical margin of 2-1, showing a game-awareness that was missing in the lone Test. Hardik Pandya’s all-round show at Southampton’s Rose Bowl helped India win by 50 runs in the opening T20I and seemingly a winning template was being set. The next clash was pocketed too with batter Ravindra Jadeja and seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar bruising Jos Buttler’s men. And even if the third match, of mere academic interest since the series was already sealed, was lost, there was much to savour for the Indian fans as Suryakumar Yadav’s 55-ball 117 was rated as a classic. Through the series India found new heroes even if the established stars like skipper Rohit or Virat Kohli were not at their domineering best. That India could tide over such blemishes showed that the unit’s bench strength was adequate and could tackle any crisis. In a cricketing year that is hurtling towards the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Australia during October and November, the latest triumph in the shortest format augurs well.
Rohit’s men had a rollicking start in the ODI series with spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s six for 19 ambushing England at London’s Oval. Openers Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan remained unbeaten to secure a comprehensive victory. Even if the extended London sojourn turned sour as the next clash at Lord’s went downhill once Reece Topley grabbed six wickets, India remained the favourite to clinch the series. The bandwagon then rolled into Manchester with its Curry Mile and overwhelming sub-continental flavour and India felt at home. Perhaps history offered some happy clues too as it was also a week that celebrated the 20th anniversary of the famous NatWest Triumph at Lord’s. Nostalgia ushered in images of Mohammad Kaif, Yuvraj Singh and a Sourav Ganguly waving his shirt like a man possessed. Out in the middle during a tough chase, centurion Rishabh Pant and Pandya replicated what Kaif and Yuvraj did two decades ago, and India could leave Old Blighty on a winning note. But beneath the champagne and smiles, worries lurk. Kohli looks a pale shadow and injury woes continue to affect the team’s composition. K.L. Rahul missed the tour due to a surgery and even as the Indian squad gets ready to tour the West Indies, getting a fit core group together in time for the trip Down Under will remain a constant worry for the selectors.
