An Indian summer describes unseasonably warm, dry, weather that sometimes occurs in the temperate zones of the northern hemisphere between September and November. As of this week, it can be applied metaphorically to the Indian cricket team in England.
Shortly after 4.30 p.m. on Monday at the Oval cricket ground in London, India completed victory over England on the final day of the fourth Test in a five-match series. The scenes inside the ground had a very Indian flavour.
Temperatures were in the mid 20Cs, with a shifting pattern of blue sky and cloud cover, Indian flags and replica team shirts dominated, as did the noise of Indian supporters, driven on by the instruments and chants of the Bharat Army, Team India’s official supporters’ group, which drowned out the usually vociferous English supporting Barmy army. Even Virat Kohli, the hero/villain Indian captain, began to orchestrate the Indian supporters for additional support. At the end, Indian supporters and players erupted in a frenzy of excitement and celebration, knowing that not only had they swept England aside but had beaten them at the Oval for the first time since 1971.
Test match cricket receives criticism for a variety of reasons. One is its perceived slowness, in terms of either the number of overs bowled per hour and in the day, or slow scoring by batsmen. Another relates to protracted and sometimes farcical delays for rain and/or bad light. It also suffers from ridicule and suspended disbelief amongst the uninitiated, who are often incredulous that a match can last for four or five days with no outright winner emerging.
Aficionados of the format would argue that this misses the point completely. The matches are so-called because they are the ultimate cricketing test of skill, technique, preparation, stamina, mental toughness, ability to deal with pressure, tactics and strategy. The match at the Oval illuminated each of these facets.
Every day of a Test Match is divided into three two-hour sessions. The first one starts at around 11 a.m., sometimes varied for local conditions. After lunch, play resumes at 1.40 p.m., with a 20-minute tea interval at 3.40 p.m. Thsi is followed by a final two-hour session ending at around 6 p.m., although the close of time play is often later. This can be the result of interruptions for bad light or rain but, more frequently, because the stipulated number of overs to be bowled in the day has not been achieved.
Each session of play has its own rhythm, its own critical moments of individual brilliance or error, its own strategic import, all contributing to the overall unfolding tapestry of the match. The ebbs and flows of the game and the uncertainty of its outcome are what make it so gripping to those who revel in it, even during passages of play where not much seems to be happening.
In the match that has just ended, ebbs and flows and critical moments abounded. At the end of Day 1 honours were just about even, India, having been asked to bat by the England captain, were dismissed for 191, having been 127 for seven wickets. At the close of play, England had scored 53 for the loss of three wickets. There was a feeling that the match would be over within three days.
On Day 2, England faltered at first, but a recovery took the score to 139 for 5 at lunch. They overtook India’s score in the afternoon session and looked in an increasingly healthy position just before tea, with a score of 222 for 6. At this stage of the match, it becomes possible to discern some routes as to how it may play out. India looked ragged, its captain petulant, the stage set for England to build a sizeable lead. Then, one of the batsmen played a foolish shot and was out. After tea, the other key batsman was carelessly out, foxed by India’s tactics.
Despite a late rally, England were dismissed 99 runs ahead of India, an advantage that should have been much greater, an opportunity squandered to take control of the match. By the close of play, India had cut the deficit, ending on 43 without loss of wicket.
As a Test Match develops, forthcoming sessions are typically described as critical, crucial or pivotal. The first session on Day 3 was regarded as critical, since the loss of early wickets could place India in jeopardy. It is part of cricket’s glorious uncertainty that no one can foretell. India stood firm, batting all day to reach 270 for 3 and a lead of 171 runs over England. This advantage was hammered home on Day 4, India eventually being dismissed for 466, setting England a highly improbable 368 to win, but not enough to daunt the optimists.
Despite England’s opening batsmen posting a hundred partnership, India began to turn the screw. First one opener was dismissed by a delivery that came out of nowhere. This brought in an experienced batsman but one who prefers to face quicker bowling. A slow bowler joined the attack and the batsman was uncomfortable. Only 24 runs were scored in 96 deliveries and the pressure mounted. In my notes, I recorded one of these two batsmen is going to get the other one out. The inexperienced one called the experienced one for a sharp run and the latter perished, unnecessarily.
At lunch, England were 131 for 2 and all results were still possible – win/loss, draw or even a tie, where scores are level. However, India smelt blood and came out hunting. Ruthless deliveries on a benign pitch crushed England’s resistance and the home team meekly subsided, losing four wickets for fifteen runs in six overs. The inevitable end was delayed for a further 25 overs before the Indian summer joy combusted.
The series moves on for the final Test to Old Trafford, Manchester, where, on Saturday, it will elide with another form of Indian summer in the shape of Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United. Noise levels in the M16 post-code will be deafening.
