The recently concluded India-England Test series was as tight as they come. Both sides traded blows, momentum kept swinging, and the contest finished 2-2 after five hard-fought matches.
For long periods, India looked the better side, as they won more sessions in the series. But England found just enough in their conditions to stay level. Shardul Thakur, reflecting on the series, said that while the cricket was equal on both sides, the home team’s familiarity with conditions gave them an edge. What really stood out for India though, according to Thakur, was their fighting spirit.
Gambhir’s unit all about spirit, feels Thakur
Speaking to RevSportz, Thakur highlighted how energy and grit defined India’s run in the series. “Everyone gave in a lot of energy even when fielding after a tiring, tough session, or say a big partnership. No one showed any sign of letting the match go,” he said. With the exception of Manchester, where England were dominant, India had genuine chances in almost every Test.
The current Indian Test team has been under a transition, with the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin. However, Shubman Gill took the leadership role as duck to water and we saw a spirited Indian unit, as mentioned by Shardul Thakur.
“I would say both teams played equal cricket, just that England being their home ground, the hosts had slightly more advantage of knowing the conditions better. Team India, on the other hand, always had their spirits high and had terrific individual performances that inspired the rest to follow their lead and perform.”
Bumrah’s five-for, Pant’s twin hundreds, Gill’s batting in Birmingham, KL Rahul’s hundred, Siraj and Prasidh Krishna picking up key wickets, and even the lower order chipping in with runs at the Oval. These flashes of excellence, Thakur said, lifted the mood in the dressing room and inspired the rest to believe.
India’s campaign was built not on one star carrying the side but on a collection of players refusing to back down, no matter the situation. That spirit, Thakur believes, is what kept the team alive across long sessions and tense situations.
The 2-2 scoreline reflected how close the contest really was. Yet for India, there was pride in the way they pushed England all the way and showed that even in foreign conditions, they could go toe to toe with one of the aggressive red-ball outfits in world cricket.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Will Gambhir try Rishabh Pant or Nitish Reddy in IND vs SA 3rd ODI with series on the line?
Top Stories
