India v England: Five things as the hosts clinch series win in Mumbai
Tuesday 13 December 2016 11:23, UK
Win the toss, bat and get first innings runs on the board. That was the message to England coming into the fourth Test. And yet, five days later, having done just that, they still find themselves on the wrong end of a heavy defeat.
It was the usual suspects who did the damage for India, Virat Kohli hitting a masterful double hundred and Ravichandran Ashwin bamboozling the England batsmen on his way to a 12-wicket haul.
Elsewhere, the tourists' selection came under scrutiny, debutant Keaton Jennings wrote himself into the Test record books and Michael Atherton revealed his secret for younger-looking skin. It's five things from Mumbai…
Invincible India
"In these conditions, India are invincible - I can't think of any side in the current game that could take them on and really give them a game in their own conditions."
That was Bob Willis' assessment with England staring down the barrel after day four and given their recent record on home soil, it is hard to argue. In the past 12 months, South Africa, New Zealand and now England have been soundly beaten in India - with Australia next to run the gauntlet early in the New Year.
Certainly with Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the form they were in Mumbai, batsmen are unlikely to face many tougher challenges.
"There were periods out there today when Jadeja and Ashwin were bowling that were as difficult as anything you're going to face," Mark Butcher told The Verdict. "The ball was spitting and turning, men around the bat and a huge deficit on the board. That's pretty difficult."
It is also worth remembering that India have lost the toss in three of the four matches so far and while England put them under pressure in Rajkot, they have barely laid a glove on the hosts in the last two games despite having the luxury of batting first.
Then, of course, there is the batting line-up, led by a certain Mr Kohli…
Incomparable Kohli
The India captain continued his remarkable form in this series with a record-breaking 235 as the hosts racked up 631 in Mumbai.
The knock was not only his Test best, giving him an average of more than 50 in all three formats of the international game, it was also his third double ton of the year, the highest-ever score by an Indian captain and the highest score by an Indian against England.
"His form in the subcontinent is beyond equal," Willis said. "A couple of years ago we saw the emergence of four great young batsmen: Kohli, Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Steve Smith. I think Smith is just about top of the rankings but he's not going to be there long while Kohli's around."
Perhaps the only question Kohli has yet to answer is whether he can score runs in England. He struggled back in 2014, a fact that Jimmy Anderson referred to ahead of day five - something that Ashwin took great exception to - but his innings in Mumbai was near-faultess. And, given his current form, it would come as no surprise if he were to make amends for 2014 on India's next tour of England, in 2018.
One seamer too many?
Issues surrounding selection have followed England throughout the tours of India and Bangladesh, be it the individuals included in the squad, those left out or the make-up of the XI - and the side they picked in Mumbai certainly attracted criticism.
"England have not picked the right side here," Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports. "There is no way you could have looked at this pitch before the game and said it was a four-seamer pitch.
"England have two or three exceptional all-rounders in their team, but they're not making use of them - they keep playing an extra bowler which they don't need and it means those all-rounders are then wasted.
"I don't know where it has come in that we suddenly need six bowlers, plus Joe Root, on a spinning pitch."
Live Test Cricket
After the a four-two seam-spin split in Mumbai led to "one of the worst defeats England have had under Cook", England are left with the option of reverting to three and three or bringing in an extra batsmen for the final Test in Chennai, with the series already lost.
Joy (and pain) for Jennings
Just when it looked as though England may never find an opening partner for Alastair Cook, two come along at once.
Haseeb Hameed, so impressive in the first three Tests, was back in India after surgery on his hand and watched on as Jennings became the 19th England batsman to hit a century on his Test debut, driving and sweeping superbly, showing himself to be adept against both seam and spin.
However, it could all have been so different for the South African-born opener as he was dropped by Karun Nair diving to his left at gully while still on nought. Having survived that, Jennings began to grow in confidence and was rarely troubled again before his dismissal late on the opening day.
There was to be no repeat in the second innings though as Jennings was pinned in front first ball, making him the first player in Test history to record a century and a golden duck on his debut.
That 112 on day one though is what will be remembered and with just one more Test in the series - and Hameed likely to be back for England's first Test of 2017 - coach, captain and selectors will be looking to find a way to include both newcomers into the same side. Perhaps a future at No 3 beckons for Jennings?
Rest and relaxation for Athers
Ahead of the Mumbai Test, Root sat down with Ian Ward to discuss the series so far, the comparisons between himself and Kohli and where England had gone wrong in the first three Tests.
The Yorkshireman, sporting a smart new haircut, proceeded to score 77 in England's second innings, a knock that Atherton described as "fabulous."
The more eagled-eyed amongst you may have noticed that Athers was looking rather fresh-faced and relaxed as he made those comments - the facial he received as Root was getting his haircut clearly working a treat.
When he hasn't been in the beauty salon, Athers has been tucked up in bed looking ahead to an dream year of cricket with Nasser: the ODIs in India, the ICC Champions Trophy and South Africa and the West Indies touring England to come in 2017 on Sky Sports.
Watch India take on England in the fifth and final Test of the series from Chennai, live on Sky Sports 2 from 3.30am on Friday.
