Key events
64th over: India 286-3 (Padikkal 9, Sarfaraz Khan 2) After getting off the mark in Stokes’ previous over with a streaky edge, a languid cover drive from Padikkal just as Deepak Puri (45th over) told us.
63rd over: India 280-3 (Padikkal 4, Sarfaraz Khan 1) What ho! And so the wind blows. A debutant and an ingenue now facing Anderson and Stokes on a roll.
WICKET! Gill b Anderson 110 (India 279-3)
And another! Gill finally made mortal with an inseamer that fizzes between bat and pad to dismantle the stumps. Anderson, on 699, pumps his fist and gives Gill a hard stare.
62nd over: India 279-2 (Gill 110, Padikkal 4) Unbelievable, yet somehow totally believable. After months on the sidelines, unable to bowl, a knee operation and all the rest, Stokes trots in, releases a thing of beauty that deviates cruelly off the pitch and incredulous smiles stretch over England’s supporters and players. On the balcony Baz slowly shakes his head as Rohit kicks his way over the rope.
WICKET! Rohit Sharma b Stokes 103 (India 275-2)
It takes just one ball… one that seams off the pitch to knock the top of off stump! Who, as Graham Gooch asked Ian Botham, writes your scripts. Rohit looks behind him in disbelief, as do England’s fielders.
Afternoon session
61st over: India 275-1 (Rohit 103, Gill 110) Jimmy starts off the afternoon session, as he did the morning. No great menace, though it might yet reverse swing. He stops a drive from Gill with his left boot, smiles until he sees the over-stepping hooter. Gill swots him through mid-on for four. Jonny Bairstow seems to be asking the umpire for a new ball – no luck son. And four more, with even more panache, over mid on. Hang on – Ben Stokes has the ball…
“Morning Tanya! Hello Darryl Accone! “I hope your choice of tea leaf has been appropriate to the high-altitude affair brewing in the Dalai Lama’s adopted home.
“Having watched two great South African fast bowlers – Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini – resist eviction from the national team as their pace and menace dropped and any claims to taking the new ball disappeared, I see the same tragicomic scenario playing out with James Anderson. They don’t call them strike bowlers without cause. Taking wickets is their duty, not maintaining the statistic – impressive as it is – of miserly runs conceded over many long years. And of course the most effective brake on the opposition scoring is to take wickets, as India so devastatingly demonstrated yesterday.
“One understands the duty of care to a great servant of the English game and the sentiment to allow him to achieve the tremendous feat of broaching the 700- wickets barrier. But it was truly awful to see the death throes of Pollock’s career, reduced to the equivalent of a very high-class Ollie Robinson minus the pantomime aggro and racism. England must not let Anderson fade away – when he achieves that glorious milestone, a mercy killing that says adieu to 700 and all that and hello to life after cricket – for all of us.”
On International Women’s day, a fascinating lunchtime read by Firdose Moonda here.
And an email to chew on from Ajey Sangai: “That’s the mental disintegration that a tour to India can cause a visiting side. Credit to England that they could postpone it till the last match of the series. Final frontier for a good reason.
“England should to all it can to enable Bashir and Hartley, develop into contemporary Swann and Panesar. With Brook waiting, they are a formidable unit.” A nice way of looking at it – with them, England have the bare bones of a team to take into the late 2020s and 2030s. I’d have thought it unlikely that Stokes, Wood, Anderson, Root or Bairstow will make another tour of India. Actually, make that a Test tour of India – it turns out we’re back again next January for white-ball adventures.
Lunch: India 264-1 lead England by 46 runs.
60th over: India 262-1 (Rohit 102, Gill 101) 129 runs, two centuries, no wickets – Gill and Rohit stroll off as if they’ve just eaten a bag of chips on Llandudno seafront, applauded sportingly by Ben Stokes. Good luck to him, he’s got to find some inspiring words from somewhere at lunch. Time for a coffee – back shortly.
A century for Shubman Gill!
59th over: India 262-1 (Rohit 101, Gill 100) And Gill is just behind him, if more flamboyantly, reaching his hundred with a knelt slog-sweep for four. Bloody gorgeous it is, and after he doffs his cap and kisses his bat, he is enveloped in a bear hug by a beaming Rohit. Master and apprentice. And as Abhi Saxena puts it
”Gill batting in Dharamshala against that backdrop, might just break the elegance-meter.”
A hundred for Rohit Sharma!
58th over: India 257-1 (Rohit 100, Gill 95) Gill cuts, like a man finely slicing a cucumber, and the ball flies to the rope. The field are in, and he leans forward in immaculate defence to Hartley. Will he be tempted to overtake his captain? Aha, he fancies two but Rohit puts out a restraining paw. And, with a wristy single, that’s Rohit’s century, off 154 balls, his 12th as captain and his second of the series. Brilliant.
57th over: India 252-1 (Rohit 99, Gill 91) Cat and mouse as, to shouts of Rohit, Rohit, he plays out a maiden.
56th over: India 252-1 (Rohit 99, Gill 91) Just one needed for the magic three figures, as Rohit flicks Hartley, up and over, so near but so far over the head of the mid-on fielder.
55th over: India 246-1 (Rohit 94, Gill 91) A diving stop by Wood on the boundary prevents a delicate dab becoming four.
54th over: India 242-1 (Rohit 92, Gill 88) Three singles, as outside the robin sings. On the telly they flash up England’s batting averages this series: only Zac Crawley in the 40s, only Duckett and Pope in the 30s.
53rd over: India 238-1 (Rohit 90, Gill 87) Bashir disappears over deep midwicket and into the stands.
52nd over: India 231-1 (Rohit 89, Gill 81) A maiden. Hartley and Bashir putting the breaks on a little here.
Hello there Sanket Dhume. “On the topic of “aggressive/attacking” Bazball, it always makes me chuckle how Stokes, the chest-thumping champion of ‘aggressive’, innovative, revolutionary cricket reverts to the questinnential short-ball tactic everytime England begin to get smacked around the park. I have thoroughly enjoyed this humbling of this entitled leadership duo. Be interesting to see if there’s an aota of humility to be seen at the end of this inevitable trouncing.
“PS. special mention to this gorgeous venue – the pictures on screen are absolutely stunning.”
I haven’t really been around Stokes and McCullum as I don’t cover much Test cricket in person, but as far as can tell much of the impression of the “entitled leadership duo” has been lost in translation through the media/social media. Yes some of stuff coming out the team camp can sound ridiculous –here’s looking at you Ben Duckett – but I think the whole Bazball idea was to resurrect a moribund England team and make it fun.
51st over: India 231-1 (Rohit 89, Gill 81) Bashir rushes through an over before I could see it, but I can tell you that Gill has added to his princely aspect by pulling on a cap.
50th over: India 230-1 (Rohit 89, Gill 80) Gill may yet beat Rohit to three figures, though as I type that, Rohit sweeps Hartley for a[nother] casual four.
“Hi Tanya, Andy reading OBO in Northern Australia. Saw your comments on the Rise of India during the drinks break when it was raised by Deepak Puri. Sorry, but based on this series, what makes you think that England are “keeping up” with India now, let alone in the future?”
Ah, yes, forgive my morning lack of articulacy . I really meant financially England can just about keep up. On the field, in India especially, not so much.And that’s before looking at England’s position in the WTC table – albeit with a big points deduction for slow over rates. But thems the rules.
49th over: India 225-1 (Rohit 85, Gill 79) And India go into the lead when Gill deposits Bashir’s first ball over the rope.
Scores level
48th over: India 218-1 (Rohit 85, Gill 72) I remember being told off for having “a mother’s meeting” by the thread box in needlework class. Stokes, Wood and Pope do the same in Dharasmsala, playing with the field, in and out, but with no greater result than I had with my cross stitch. An over-pitched ball from Wood is on-driven by Gill with panache. Scores grow level when Hartley fluffs some fielding on the boundary.
47th over: India 206-1 (Rohit 80, Gill 65) Another tidy maiden from Hartley.
46th over: India 206-1 (Rohit 80, Gill 65) Wood really going for the short ball now – four out of six balls up by the chest. Rohit backs away and flames through the covers to bring up the first 100 stand between him and Gill in Tests. To his last ball he takes a mini step back to leg, but lets the ball go. He grins his Rohit grin, and Gill joins him.
45th over: India 202-1 (Rohit 76, Gill 64) A maiden from Hartley, and they take DRINKS!
Good morning Deepak Puri! “I’m approaching 60 and have spent decades watching the Indian team being all smiley and affable while being tonked around the park. For me, I think it was Ganguly that changed the ethos of the team to make us a little more snarly and challenging, and Virat picked up the torch for the next generation of players.
”I’m glad we’re now more competitive; to have a quick bowler who tops the world rankings is amazing – Jasprit is such a joy to watch. Long may it continue.”
They are a wonderful team to watch: Bumrah, Yadav, Ashwin, Rohit, Jaiswal, Gill…..Kohli already almost an afterthought. For World Cricket’s sake, I just hope the other Test nations, other than England and Australia, can keep up with them.
44th over: India 202-1 (Rohit 76, Gill 64) A red and a blue turban sit together in the crowd, delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red). A tasty over from Wood, Gill is beaten by a fiery bouncer, but still picks off three.
43rd over: India 199-1 (Rohit 76, Gill 62) Hartley, in shades, replaces Bashir. Gill and Rohit are respectable watchful.
“Hi Tanya,” hello Kandukuru Nagarjun!
“Devdutt Padikkal is in next. Languid, loose-limbed, lithe Yuvraj Singh type leftie.
“He’s from my city Bangalore. Our state Karnataka has had a fixture or two in the Test side for half a century: Chandra & Prasanna, Viswanath & Kirmani, Kumble & Dravid, Srinath & Prasad, Agarwal & KL Rahul.
“When I first saw Padikkal in 2020, he looked like the next major Karnataka player. I inked him in for 10 years and 100 Tests. Our boy lost his way for a year or two (it happens) but is in prime form now.
“He’s fulfilled at least 1% of my prophecy. Good luck to him.”
Why thank you for that lovely introduction. I really look forward to watching his languid charm – though maybe time for India to dig out a scratchy plodder just for a change? What a production line of young talent there is.
42nd over: India 197-1 (Rohit 75, Gill 61) Poor Mark Wood. A double bluff – goes long when Gill is expecting something short – a super ball, Gill is squared up and the ball flies through where second slip just been taken out. Two balls later, an incredible punch wide of point for four more.
41sh over: India 189-1 (Rohit 75, Gill 53) A handful of singles off Bashir as the camera find two tiny dots, that turn out to be humans, trekking in the foothills. My son is obsessed with climbing Everest one day, but apart from being unfathomably expensive, I think climate change is making it even more dangerous and unpredictable.
Fifty for Shubman Gill!
40th over: India 186-1 (Rohit 74, Gill 51) Wood fires in a nasty bouncer, Gill rolls his wrists and picks up a single – fifty glorious runs off 64 balls. England have played him back into form. He and Rohit share a brisk handshake. Wood gets up to 150kph late in the over, but no cigar.
39th over: India 183-1 (Rohit 73, Gill 49) “That’s beautiful Bash,” says someone – Foakes? “Keep it going Bash.” And to be fair, since the Rohit early onslaught, he’s been pretty on point. “Morning Tanya,” hello Martin Wright!
“Back in England after six weeks in India; six weeks when cricket started at the sensible time of Half Past Nine rather than Stupid O’Clock, and now I’m wondering why God insists on leaving the air-conditioning on everywhere here. Just one thing remains constant: India’s well-deserved utter dominance. They’re just going to be 447-4 by close of play aren’t they? And that ‘for 4’ is probably optimistic. Or can someone change the script? Jimmy (Jimmy)?” He’s out to pasture at the moment. I think they’re waiting for the ball to reverse.
38th over: India 180-1 (Rohit 72, Gill 47) After three overs, Wood replaces Anderson but the runs they keep on rollin. Gill: a back foot punch to die for, a dreamy cover drive. No boundary next ball, just an off drive stopped in the follow through.
37th over: India 171-1 (Rohit 72, Gill 38) Oh dear. Rohit goes to turn the ball round the corner off Bashir and the ball flies – at rapid though catchable height – but Crawley at leg slip doesn’t see it in time and it flies through the paws of Crawley and down to the boundary.
36th over: India 166-1 (Rohit 68, Gill 37) Better from Anderson, and as I write that Rohit glides four from an open face.
35th over: India 162-1 (Rohit 64, Gill 37) An over of calm from Bashir. The stadium DJ is now going for restful Hindi (?) tunes. Imagine swirling saris by waterfalls. If you’re there, please write in and tell us how gorgeously, gorgeous it is.
Good morning Andrew Crossley. “9pm in Colorado. Dog snoozing on sofa. Just finished an episode of “One Day” with American wife and daughter, then turn to the cricket. I can’t suppress an instinctive “oh Jimmy Jimmy”, and it’s followed immediately by a chorus of the appropriate “Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy Anderson” in American accents (not the dog)
”So proud!” (You should be)
”Three of us hoping to see Jimmy make history.” Me too, though he won’t be happy after that treatment by Gill. And, by the way, I loved One Day – the series more than the book.
34th over: India 161-1 (Rohit 63, Gill 37) Just a casual step-dance, a perpendicular elbow and Gill has hit a straight six off Anderson. A couple of balls later, he cuts, ferociously, for four more. Four more follows off the pad. The deficit is down to 57. Already.
33rd over: India 147-1 (Rohit 63, Gill 27) Rohit launches Bashir for six over mid on and four over long off. He over pitches slightly and the second lands wide of off stump, but still, that was unnecessary at this time in the morning. Bashir puts his hands on his head.
32nd over: India 137-1 (Rohit 53, Gill 27) Jimmy Anderson, hungry for those two wickets, yellow-orange quiff, runs in towards the mammoth mountains. On the television they flick up a graph of his average speeds sice 2015 – pretty much unchanged year on year. A single or two.
Morning session
31st over: India 135-1 (Rohit 52, Gill 26) Trumpets and Jerusalem accompany Bashir’s first over – a maiden.
Just had a look at the scorecard at Christchurch. New Zealand having an England day at the office – and some. All out for 162, with Kane Williamson, also in his 100th Test, also unable to capitalise on the occasion. Catch up here :
And the players are out in the middle at Dharmasala, with Jimmy Anderson needing just two wickets for the magic 700.
The dog still loves me, and I have tea. I come back to Cooky and Finny talking about Rohit’s languid charm, and how we haven’t seen his best in Test cricket yet (good luck England). Finn says that England had “a passive day yesterday” which is a cute observation. Then they move onto Yadav: “One of the most improved bowlers I’ve seen,” says Cook. “He’s straightened up his run-up, he bowls quicker, he tucks his right arm in more, spins the ball hard and his control yesterday was fabulous.”
Graeme Swann is standing in the middle of the pitch, the sun it out, the air is clear and all is well and beautiful. He knocks the pitch – tap, tap -hard as teak. Runs, he says, to be had. Time to grab a quick cup of tea, back very soon.
Preamble
Good morning! Day one was something nasty in the woodshed – England done over by Kuldeep Yadav and friends, and then blasted away by Rohit and Jasiwal as the sun dropped gracefully in beautiful Dharamsala, the snowy peaks of the Himalayas adding drama to the mid-afternoon collapse.
That loss of five for eight in just 36 balls is going to take some coming back from – but really the attention should fall on India, whose bowling was magnificent: from the swinging early morning gems of Bumrah and Siraj to Yadav’s ball of brilliance to dismiss Zac Crawley. They resume this morning with a deficit of just 83 runs. I’ll be there, do join me to chew the fat with the blackbirds.