Indians slide as Englishmen soar

Cook & Co hold off hosts in fourth and final Test to clinch series 2-1

In the end, it was quite apt that England didn’t give India a chance to bat on the final day of the fourth Test that ended in a draw here on Monday. It was indicative of the visitors’ dominance in this series that translated into a series win on these shores after 27 long years.

Resuming from their overnight, 161 for three, England marched on quite mercilessly to declare at 352 for four with an hour remaining for close of play at the VCA stadium. England’s third innings total was built around the relentless Jonathan Trott (143, 310b, 18x4) and Ian Bell (116 n.o., 306b, 16x4, 1x6), who made their eighth and 17th Test hundreds respectively.

India’s only chance – a remote one at that – to push for victory was to make early inroads into the English batting line-up, but Trott, Bell and a sluggish pitch thwarted all their attempts. However, full credit should be given to Trott and Bell for stitching together a 208-run alliance for the fourth-wicket that closed the door on India with a loud thud.

Despite the docile nature of the track, and the Indian bowlers’ obvious lack of penetrative abilities, the English duo had a task at hand, and how wonderfully they succeeded in that! It was also a personal battle for Bell and Trott, especially the former. The Warwickshire pair didn’t have much to gloat over coming into the last Test of the series, struggling massively against the Indian spinners.

Trott had managed an 87 at Kolkata, and he built on that here to reach the three-figure mark, driving Chawla through wide mid-on for four. It was a fine comeback for England’s number three after his struggles early this year against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Bell’s outings in India too have never been comfortable. His travails had started from the first innings at Ahmedabad, lofting the first ball he faced from Pragyan Ojha to Sachin Tendulkar. But here, the elegant right-hander was in no mood to let go the start he received, and the Indians were magnanimous enough to give him a reprieve on 75. Virender Sehwag spilled a thick edge at first slip off Chawla, and soon after he completed a well-deserved hundred, pushing R Ashwin to fine leg.

For Bell, it might have been a sweet moment for he has always struggled in the sub-continent averaging just under 20. Once Bell too reached the personal landmark, England skipper Alastair Cook declared the innings closed.

That followed fist pumps and hugs in England dressing room, while the Indians walked off the field in small despondent groups. Hardly any other image told the entire story of the series.