Edgbaston Test: Chennai all over again

So, the first test match of the Pataudi Trophy 2018 has ended with England defeating India by a margin of 31 runs. It was a pretty close game with the pendulum of balance swinging every now and then. At the end of day one, Indians were happier among the two sides having reduced England to 285 runs for 9 wickets from a commanding position of 213 runs for 3 wickets courtesy Ravichandran Ashiwn’s 4-wicket haul. Day Two began with England taking quick wickets, but yet again the Indians fought back riding on a brilliant knock of 149 runs from skipper Virat Kohli, coming very close to the English total.

Sam Curran turns it around for the Englishmen in their second innings

The match was evenly poised at the start of day three with England having a lead of only 3 runs and having 9 wickets in hand. As the day progressed, it worsened for England and they were reeling at 87 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. Ishant Sharma was on a roll and it seemed like he would run through the innings. However, 20-year old Sam Curran had other ideas and with his innings of 63 runs, he probably (in hindsight) turned the match for his team. Indians were set a target of 194 runs in the fourth innings which many thought could be chased down. But wickets started falling and after a gripping third day of cricket, Indians had scored 110 runs for the loss of five wickets. The good news for the Indians was that their skipper Kohli was still at the crease.

Hopes of a nation rested on the shoulders of one man

And on his shoulders, rested India’s hopes. So, at the end of day three, my memory went back to a match played 19 years ago when the hopes of a nation had also rested on an individual’s shoulder. It was the epic match between India & Pakistan played at Chennai. The individual back then was the great Sachin Tendulkar, and despite his herculean effort (innings of 136 runs), India had fallen short by 12 runs.

Back then I was a teenager and as a die-hard Sachin and Indian cricket fan, I had tears in my eyes when Saqlain Mushtaq had got the last Indian wicket. If my memory serves me right, I had debated with all my friends and family members on how Sachin was left all alone to do the job. Had he got some support from others, the Indians could well have won the match.

But this time around, I was careful. Although, I was hoping for Kohli to win the match for us; I knew that defeat was a possibility unlike 1999 when I couldn’t have imagined India losing the match. Day Four began, and wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik was out in the first over. Yet again, I was reminded of the dismissal of Nayan Mongia who was the wicket-keeper in the Chennai test.

It was Sachin then, and Kohil this time around

The tail of the Indian batting line-up today is much stronger than what it used to be two decades back. Hence, I had not lost hope. Also, our hero Kohli was still in the middle. But like in Chennai, the seventh Indian wicket sealed the match for the opposition. It was Sachin then, and Kohli this time around.

Virat Kohli scored 149 and 51 runs in the two innings

With Kohli’s wicket, the match was all but lost. Hardik Pandya did keep us interested for a while, but it was just a matter of delaying the inevitable. Eventually, he got out and the Indian innings ended at 162 runs.

Kohli must have been dejected like his idol Sachin had been against Pakistan. I did not have tears in my eyes like last time around, but I was and am disappointed. I just hope that Kohli gets some support from the other batsmen for the remainder of the series.

It had taken a perfect ten from Anil Kumble in the next match in 1999 to help me come out of the Chennai match. I only pray that we have a similar great performance by one of our stars at the home of cricket, Lord’s in the next match.