The Oval win represents the brand-new attitude of Indian players

By K.R. Nayar
From London 

In the last paragraph of my story on the drawn Manchester Test, I had mentioned that this series would be added to the list of epic battles, and that a 2–2 draw would be the icing on the cake. With India winning the Oval Test by six runs to level the series, cricket has rewarded the two teams that played brilliant cricket and shared the honours equally. Till the last ball was bowled at the Oval, it could have been anybody’s game, and hence it was another endorsement of the beauty of Test cricket.

 

I am also tempted to believe that cricket rewarded me too for my love for the game by giving me the opportunity to write this column from London, where it all happened. Why else should I have been here, just as I have been fortunate to witness many historic moments and tournaments? Soaking in the slight drizzle and the below 20-degree weather, and writing this epic ending to a great series, will remain unforgettable for me.

 

Writing this column from London absorbing the day's weather was special   

The final day’s action began with England needing 35 runs to win and India requiring another four wickets. It is very likely that almost every player from both the teams would have had a sleepless night yesterday, just as it would have been for many of the ardent fans as well. This Test once again highlighted the importance of every run, because it was the six-run difference that denied England a 3–1 series win.

 

For those critics who might claim that Ben Stokes’ absence helped India’s win, they might want to recall that even with Stokes in the side, India had won the Birmingham Test and drawn the Manchester Test. In cricket, what matters are the useful contributions from players to win a series. Similarly, it should not matter whether it would have been an easy win for India had Jasprit Bumrah played this match.

 

The heroes with  skipper  Shubman Gill 

India’s Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bowled their hearts out and delivered exactly what was expected from them. It is indeed creditable for England that Harry Brook scored a half-century and a century in the two innings, and that Joe Root hit yet another century. But ultimately, what is needed is a win. Though Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century was crucial from India’s batting perspective, they still needed to take all 20 England wickets to win the match. And hence, contributions from Siraj (4 for 64 and 5 for 104) and Krishna (4 for 62 and 4 for 126) are invaluable.

 

What makes this team special is their ability to fight till the end. Throughout the series, this bunch of players never seemed to be bothered about the fact that they were playing in unfamiliar conditions and on wickets where, in the past, Indian teams had surrendered meekly. This team has announced that England’s standard is not alarmingly high and, unlike in the past, they can be beaten on their home wickets.

 

India's lap of honour  

The incident involving Team India coach Gautam Gambhir and the Oval ground curators has now turned immaterial. Siraj and Krishna have made one announcement loud and clear: whether or not they were allowed to get a closer look at the wicket before the start, they possess excellent control over swing and are equally, if not more accurate than the England pacers. They have relentless precision and the ability to carry a huge workload.

 

Team India did a lap of honour in front of their jubilant fans at the Oval, and they deserved every bit of the applause. What these two pacers did was to turn the pressure of a Test match into poetry, in a contest where the fate of the match swung like a pendulum. To carve out India’s narrowest ever Test match win at the historic Oval ground will be remembered for a long time.