Published By: Ritayan Basu
Trending Desk
Last Updated: March 11, 2024, 11:32 IST
Mumbai, India
(From left) Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, KS Bharat, Akash Deep, Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar and Dhruv Jurel. (BCCI Photo)
India completed a resounding 4-1 rout of England in the recently concluded five-match Test series to return to the top of the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings. They also find themselves in first place on the ICC World Test Championship points table with a 68.52 point percentage. After losing the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs, Rohit Sharma led a relatively inexperienced Indian team to turn the tables and win the next four Tests. India won the second Test in Vizag by 106 runs, which sparked a collapse for England, who were beaten more comfortably as each Test progressed. In the absence of key figures like Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, India’s next-gen showed that they belonged to the highest level of cricket.
Yashasvi Jaiswal became the only Indian batter in history after the legendary Sunil Gavaskar to score over 700 runs in a Test series. Shubman Gill rediscovered his best self in Tests by scoring two centuries. Three fifties in five innings have made Sarfaraz Khan, one of the five debutants in the series, somewhat of a cult figure in the team while, in Dhruv Jurel, India seem to have unearthed a ridiculously talented wicketkeeper-batter. Devdutt Padikkal made his debut in the final Test, and like Sarfaraz and Jurel, wasted no time at all to show his ability. Akash Deep bowled a fiery opening spell in Ranchi in the fourth Test.
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Speaking to ESPNcricinfo along with former England fast bowler Steve Harmison, Sanjay Manjrekar reviewed the five-match Test series between India and England and shared what his biggest takeaways were. Manjrekar reserved special praise for Kuldeep Yadav, in particular, as the left-arm wrist spinner bamboozled the Bazballers with devilish spin wizardry while also having a breakout series with the bat, facing more balls than the likes of Jonny Bairstow.
“The big takeaway for me looking at Indian cricket in the long-term point of view is India’s bowling. The arrival of Kuldeep Yadav, and Akash Deep in that last Test match. Now, when you look at the England batting failure and relentless pressure, when you have five bowlers of the likes of [Jasprit] Bumrah, Akash Deep in the last Test, [Mohammed] Siraj here, and then three spinners, where Kuldeep Yadav has made such rapid strides, there’s just no getaway for a team that has been struggling with consistent form,” Sanjay Manjrekar said.
However, Sanjay Manjrekar also believed that it was too early to judge these players based on performances at home.
“For me, it is still about these batters, having shown the potential to get big runs at the Test level, very keen to play at the Test level, which is a great sign. Sarfaraz as well, Dhruv Jurel, has some great foundation, so that’s an exciting talent out there. But let’s wait a little longer. Let these guys play in Australia, England and other places, and then we’ll see who are the long-term batters that India will rely on who will take the baton from the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Cheteshwar Pujara,” he added.
