Of late, slam-bang is the norm in One-Day International cricket. Benign pitches have carried over from Twenty20s, as the balance between bat and ball has been further skewered. Scoring 350, and chasing it down, is the way forward, it seems. Consequently, there is debate that this middle-rung format is more endangered than Test cricket even. That, however, is a topic for another day.
On Sunday, in a departure from routine, the pitch at Eden Gardens took centre-stage. There was grass on it, not lively, but enough to tempt pacers on both sides. Most of all it had juicy bounce, just like in the second Test against New Zealand. That was the best wicket in the eight home Tests played this season. The same can be said for this third ODI, the best in recent times in India, certainly so in this series. Possibly, only the Dharamsala pitch in October against the Black Caps comes close.
Explosive England
Back then, India won the toss and New Zealand were rolled over for 190. But England are a better side all around. In fact, given their penchant for 300-plus scores in three successive games here, it can be said with considerable purpose that they are one of the best batting line-ups going around in world cricket currently. Their record since the 2015 World Cup proves as much.
Losses in the first two games were bitter pills to swallow. Yet, they lost to a better team in sub-continental conditions. One of the key aspects of those twin losses was how India performed better in the middle overs, with both bat and ball. It seemed to be the case again in this match, when they were struggling at 246/6. That they still got to 321 from that juncture, thanks to Ben Stokes flexing his muscles, is only further testament to their explosive batting prowess at the moment.
Thereafter, Kolkata’s chilly evening, with pace and bounce in the wicket, made it seem more a chase in English conditions than Indian ones. It was always going to be a tricky balance, for dew in the latter overs could have proven detrimental to their attempt at defending the target. As such, taking wickets was instrumental, and for the first time in this series, England regularly pegged away at the Indian middle order. Never mind Kedar Jadhav’s heroics at the end, the visitors fully deserved to take something away from this series.
Hence, this win was totally meritorious, even if it was the first on this tour stretching back to early November. In a way, it indicates where English cricket stands at the moment – lethargic in the Test arena, waiting for Alastair Cook to do away with his captaincy. Meanwhile, there is an energetic buzz about their limited-overs’ aspirations under Eoin Morgan. In June, England will start as one among two or three teams as joint favourites for the Champions Trophy, at least.
The Jadhav-Pandya jubilation
Back in October, at Dharamsala, Hardik Pandya made his ODI debut. He opened the bowling. This was a ploy very different to the one in T20Is. In Australia, against Sri Lanka, and through the Asia Cup as well as the World T20, he was a second-choice pace option at best. Dhoni only used him as one of his many tricks. Sometimes it worked, mostly it didn’t.
There is a difference about Pandya now. Only a year has passed since his high-profile initiation to international cricket, and there is certain composure about him today. If it can be said so, there is a quiet way about him, in how he goes about his business, almost as if the past twelve months or so have forced him to mellow down. The young man who debuted in Adelaide was comparatively more boisterous.
From day one, Pandya was built up as the big all-round hope keeping in mind the Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup, both to be played in England. An all-rounder who can bowl pace-up and hit some big ones at No. 7 would be priceless. He knew this, but needed time to understand the enormity of the job at hand. Perhaps the necessary changeover came in when he spent time with Rahul Dravid as part of the India-A set up. From Dharamsala to Kolkata then, in two ODIs that mirrored English conditions, Pandya has returned 3/31 and 3/49, both whilst opening the bowling. It mirrors his growth with the ball.
The other aspect, herein, is with the bat, of course, and it also involves Kedar Jadhav. For the second time in three matches, the duo provided late fireworks, something the Indian batting line-up had been missing for a long time now. They helped cross the victory line in Pune, and just finished five runs adrift in Kolkata. In doing so, the duo have come a long way from that failed finishing attempt in Delhi when India were beaten in a 243-run chase.
Pandya’s composure wasn’t completely visible in his batting, at least not at the start, but then again he cannot be blamed if the bowlers are on top of proceedings for once. Yet, he showed great character in seizing his chance and etching out a half-century. The major delight, irrespective of the loss, was in Jadhav’s blistering knock of 90.
“Since I came into the team, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Dhoni bhai and it has helped me deal with situations calmly. I was planning to play all six balls [of the last over], but I mistimed and got out. I would have been happier if we would have won this game, but I am satisfied with what I have done in this series. I can still improve,” Jadhav said, after winning man-of-the-series for his 232 runs in three innings.
His story, nay both their stories, are a product of investment of time and opportunity. Pandya was fast-tracked to the longer formats, deemed to learn first-hand on the job. Similarly, Jadhav has gone from strength to strength since he became a full-time member of the ODI squad from last year’s Zimbabwe tour onward.
Together, they have sorted out India’s problems at Nos 6 and 7, a key marker in the road to 2019. The critical search for finishers, which earnestly began after the 2015 World Cup, can now be called off, at least for the near foreseeable future.