Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy: Young India passes tough English test

London: Right after Mohammed Siraj picked up the final wicket of Gus Atkinson, the entire Indian team erupted in jubilation. First the pacer leapt in the air with his customary ‘Siuu’ celebration, then his team-mates converged around him while a few members of the support staff beyond the boundary line rushed into the middle, all of them dancing in joy.

A few moments later, the entire team proceeded for a victory lap around The Oval which was packed to the rafters and roaring in delight after watching an epic 6-run win for the ages. The Indians didn’t clinch the newly coined Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy but the boisterous celebrations — like they’ve won a World Cup — showed how much the 2-2 verdict meant for this transitional team under new captain Shubman Gill.

Having achieved some incredible success — home and away — over the past decade, the Indian team was hit by the sudden retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin. Transitions are an inevitable part of sport but when three big superstars bid adieu around the same time, especially after lifting a team to rarefied heights, it’s an extremely challenging affair. It’s what new captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir, who took charge from Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup a year ago, were tasked with and to be fair they’ve come out with flying colours.

The biggest concern for the Indians before arriving here was on the batting front. Among the top order batters, only KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant had previous experience of playing a full series in England. Skipper Gill’s form outside the subcontinent too was very average. Can this young crop deliver in a country where sound technique is of utmost importance? Yes they did with Gill leading from the front with a jaw-dropping 754 runs that included a career-best 269. Rahul scored 532 runs with two centuries and an equal number of half-centuries, his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal hit 411, starting and ending the series with a ton each, while vice-captain Pant was in elements, amassing 479 runs with two centuries and three fifties and earning a lot of praise for batting with a fractured foot.

On the batting front, the finds of the series was Washington Sundar. The Tamil Nadu off-spinning all-rounder scored a career-defining 101 not out to help India pull off a remarkable draw against all odds in the fourth Test in Manchester that ensured the series was still alive in the fifth. He was backed to the hilt by captain Gill, whose decision to play him instead of attacking spinner Kuldeep Yadav, was pilloried by many critics but Sundar repaid all that faith with performances on the field.  

No praise can be too high for Ravindra Jadeja, who yet again proved why he’s the Most Valuable Player in the team still. One of the remnants of the old guard, the 36-year-old all-rounder brought his A game in exceptional fashion, amassing 516 runs with one century and five half-centuries, playing several game-changing knocks. On the bowling front too, the southpaw didn’t disappoint, bagging seven wickets.

With regards to Gill’s captaincy, the 25-year-old marshalled his resources incredibly well. He faced numerous challenges, especially in terms of fielding a settled bowling unit because of Jasprit Bumrah’s 3-match availability "clause", but he did a job with whatever he had. He made some bold calls in backing Sundar instead of Kuldeep because of the former’s superior batting abilities and stood firm by his decision despite a lot of outside noise. There have been times when he has looked clueless and turned defensive when England batters were on the assault but like he said, there are lessons to be learnt and he’s willing to incorporate them in future assignments.

On the bowling front, this tour has been Mohammed Siraj’s. The Hyderabadi bowled with a lion’s heart, sending down 185.3 overs with barely dip in intensity. The spotlight was on Bumrah but Siraj deservedly stole the limelight with a mesmerising performance at The Oval. Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep fared decently as understudies but it’s the back-ups where India have a problem with. During Kohli’s reign they had a wealth of resources on the fast bowling front but suddenly the barrel appears a little dry. It’s something that needs serious addressing if India desire to do well abroad consistently.

In a series of many positives, one small disappointment was the failure of Karun Nair to make the most of his second life. Yes, he looked really good most times he batted but was unable to convert into anything major, barring the half-century in the series finale. It remains to be seen if that effort, crucial under the circumstances, keeps his place secure in the squad.