London [UK], August 5 : The Indian batting made history during the recently-concluded Test series against England, securing the most centuries and runs ever for the team in a bilateral Test series.
Team India headed to English shores without two of its most experienced and accomplished batters, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, with young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, skipper Shubman Gill and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant forming the core batting group. While there were expectations that they would fire some runs no doubt, they defied all expectations, delivering a record-breaking outing in England that has proven to be tiring both for statisticians and bowlers alike.
During the course of the series, India batters scored 12 centuries and 3,580 runs, the most they have in a Test bilateral series, no matter how many matches, what opposition or venue, as per Wisden.
This whole batting core, along with spin bowling all-rounders, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, did a marvellous job.
Gill led the charts with 774 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, with four centuries and a best score of 269. At the third place in the batting charts was KL, who had his most productive and consistent Test cricket outing in a series, making 532 runs in five matches and 10 innings at an average of 53.20, with two centuries and two fifties. His best score was 137.
Jadeja was at fourth spot, with the most fifty-plus scores by a batter in the series, scoring 516 runs in 10 innings at an average of 86.00, with a century and five fifties. His best score was 107*. At number six was Pant, who missed out on the fifth Test due to a foot injury, scoring 479 runs in just seven innings at an average of 68.42, with a quick strike rate of over 77, with two centuries (both coming in the Leeds Test) and three half-centuries. Jaiswal was another entry in the top ten at ninth, with 411 runs in five Tests and 10 innings, averaging 41.11, with two centuries and two fifties. His best score was 118.
Sundar was outside top 10, scoring 284 precious runs worth its weight in gold in eight innings, averaging 47.33, with a century and fifty and best score of 101*.
Karun Nair had a disappointing international cricket return, scoring 205 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.62, with a fifty. Also, in his debut Test series, Sai Sudharsan was underwhelming after a top-scoring Indian Premier League (IPL) season for Gujarat Titans (GT), scoring 140 runs in three Tests and six innings at an average of 23.33, with a fifty.
After England opted to bowl first, they reduced India to 153/6. A 58-run partnership between Karun Nair (57 in 109 balls, with eight fours) and Washington Sundar (26 in 55 balls, with three fours) was the most meaningful part of the inning as India was bundled out for 224 runs. Apart from Gus Atkinson's five-wicket haul, Josh Tongue (3/57) was also good.
In the second innings, four-fers from Siraj (4/86) and Prasidh Krishna (4/62) reduced England to 247, despite a 92-run opening stand between Zak Crawley (64 in 57 balls, with 14 fours) and Ben Duckett (43 in 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and a fifty by Harry Brook (53 in 64 balls, with five fours and a six). They led by 23 runs.
In India's second innings, key contributions came from Yashasvi Jaiswal (118 in 164 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes), Akash Deep (66 in 94 balls, with 12 fours), Ravindra Jadeja (53 in 77 balls, with five fours) and Washington Sundar (53 in 46 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes).
Sundar stitched a very crucial 10th wicket stand with Krishna, with the latter scoring nothing out of it and Sundar doing all the hitting.
They all took India to 396 runs, giving them a 373-run lead and setting a target of 374 runs for England to win the series.
India started well, reducing England to 106/3. However, fine centuries from Harry Brook (111 in 98 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes) and Joe Root (105 in 152 balls, with 12 fours) troubled India with a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket. At one point, England was 317/4 on day four. However, a late surge by Siraj (5/104) and Krishna (4/126) shifted the pressure to England, and they were left six runs short, bundled out for 367 runs.
The series is drawn 2-2, reflecting the true nature of how well-fought the series was. The Shubman Gill era has started with immense promise and fight, giving signs of a bright future.
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