Left Arm Around

Well here we are.

Almost two years after his appointment as England skipper in April 2022, and a host of emphatic victories later, Ben Stokes has faced his first series loss in charge of the Three Lions.

But having tasted victory in the nail-biting ‘heist of Hyderabad’ a matter of weeks ago, what can we decipher from a mouth-watering clash of contrasting styles that resulted in a 17th (yes 17th) consecutive home series win for India?

After all, many an England fan will be suffering from an innate sense of ‘what could have been?’

1. Jasprit Bumrah is OUTSTANDING

To many a Cricket fan, this statement will come as no real shock.

When you think of the best bowlers on the planet, no matter the format, one name that automatically springs to mind is 30-year-old Bumrah.

But in conditions that hugely favoured spinners, Bumrah stood up when it mattered most to wrestle back control from a relentless England batting line-up that threatened to cut loose at any given moment.

With only four Tests in India prior to this current series against England, he delivered like a man making up for lost time as he took 17 wickets at an average of 13.65.

He missed the series-clinching victory in Ranchi, however his performances in the first three games altered the momentum and proved he can do it in ALL conditions.

2. Dhruv Jurel is here to stay

Having replaced KS Bharat ahead of the third Test in Rajkot, Jurel backed up his impressive debut knock of 46 with another fine performance in Ranchi.

First hitting 90 to crucially reduce England’s lead to only 46 on first innings, the 23-year-old combined with Shubman Gill in a sixth-wicket partnership of 70 to take India over the line in the fourth innings.

Rishabh Pant is due to return soon, but Jurel’s impressive showing means Pant has some very healthy competition to keep him on his toes.

3. England’s spin problems are not as bad as first thought

Coming into the series, many a critic argued that England’s lack of quality spin options meant they posed no genuine threat to the Indian juggernaut.

But having fielded Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir across the series- players with virtually no first-class experience- their positive returns indicate they are spinners with potential to thrive in the future.

The highlights were Hartley’s 7/62 to clinch the first Test in Hyderabad, and Bashir’s maiden Test fifer in Ranchi.

Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes deserve huge credit deserve huge credit for the faith they paid in the trio.

4. India can survive without Virat Kohli

Much of the chat at the start of the series centred around the absence of one of India’s greats, Virat Kohli.

But despite the huge void of his batting and leadership skills, the hosts found a way to win when their back was against the wall.

Middle-order selections such as Rajat Patidar and Shreyas Iyer misfired, though India found new gems in Yashasvi Jaiswal and to a lesser extent, Sarfaraz Khan.

The conveyor belt of Indian cricket talent is seemingly never-ending.

5. Zak Crawley CAN play spin

While 328 runs in four Tests at an average of 41 does not leap off the page and make you scream ‘WOW’, much of the criticism fired at Crawley’s head has focused on his inconsistency and perceived weakness against slow bowling.

Yet in reaching three fifty plus scores, including 76 and 73 in Visakhapatnam, the Kent opener has proven he can excel against top-class spinners in alien conditions.

The 26-year-old is renowned for dealing with the pacers well, however it seems the freedom of playing with aggressive intent in the ‘Bazball’ era has brought his game to new heights.

It won’t always go right- and he will fall cheaply- but Crawley is box office and will win England Test matches.

6. Whatever people say, Bazball isn’t just ‘slogging’

When the tourists fell off a cliff in Rajkot or suffered a dramatic collapse in Ranchi, it would be easy to point the finger at the approach and say that England are somewhat ‘gung-ho’.

And while many dismissals were reckless and arguably laughable, that brilliant partnership of 113 between Joe Root and Ben Foakes in Ranchi demonstrated that the tourists have another string to their bow. That they don’t always need to strike at upwards of five an over to succeed.

It wasn’t the most exciting passage of play, however Root and Foakes were smart enough to realise that they had to adapt and opt for a more cautious approach.

The casual fan wants sixes galore but there is more than one way to skin a cat…

7. Ravinchandran Ashwin isn’t unplayable

It seems silly to say this about a man with 507 Test wickets.

But in a series that’s seen Ashwin take 13 wickets at a respectable average of 30.41, England have enjoyed surprising success against the 37-year-old.

Rather than deciding to prod and allow Ashwin to settle into a rhythm, the likes of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope used a plethora of attacking sweeps to nullify the threat he poses.

It wasn’t a shocking series by any means, though it shows what can be achieved if you take the game to the off-spinner.