CHENNAI: Veteran James Anderson’s artistic spell of reverse swing trumped Virat Kohli’s show of grit as England decimated India in the opening Test by a comprehensive 227-run margin here on Tuesday.
A target of 420, with 381 left on a fifth day worn out Chepauk track, was always a tough ask going by cricketing logic and Anderson’s mid-morning burst blew away the Indian middle-order. In the end, the hosts could manage only 192 in 58.1 overs.
That spell ensured that there wasn’t a Sydney like heist or the magic of Brisbane final day which many had hoped for despite the world record target.
Kohli (72 off 104 balls) seemed like a lonely general standing on a burning deck as he showed his colleagues how to bat on a difficult track.
He covered the swing and shuffled towards the off-stump to counter Anderson, ran purposefully and scored his runs against spinners.
But there was that one ball that was always going to keep low and he got that from Ben Stokes.
Courtesy Anderson (11-4-17-3), the match became a mismatch within an hour and India now need to win two out of the next three Tests to qualify for the World Test Championship final in June.
It was left-arm spinner Jack Leach (26-4-76-4), who after his first innings humiliation at the hands of Rishabh Pant, finished with the best figures but the effort paled in comparison to the effect that Anderson had on the psyche of the Indian team.
Anderson sowed doubts among rank and file of the home line-up, whether they had the technique to play the moving ball which swings the other way round. Kohli can but can his colleagues do it will be the big question going forward.
The man from Burnley, in his 19th Test match season, showed his artistry with a semi-new ball, on a fifth day track and sapping
Chennai heat, far removed conditions from the grey skies and cool breeze that Old Trafford gives him.
But then Anderson is a devotee and best practitioner of Test match ethos and doesn’t need to take refuge in conditions because of his supreme control over his craft.
Wasim Akram made reverse swing fashionable as a pro in Lancashire and Anderson spent his teenage years watching the ‘Sultan of Swing’ practice his craft.
But what he did on Tuesday would have certainly made Akram proud as the Indian batting line-up, save Kohl, didn’t have an idea as to how they could stop Anderson.
When he made his Test debut, Shubman Gill was in play-school and Rishabh Pant in nursery.
At 38 years 194 days and in his 158th Test match, Anderson became an example of why one should can never discount experience.
Ishant Sharma, on first two days, bowled a few spells of lively reverse swing. What Ishant did well, Anderson just did that way better.
Gill (50, 83 balls) once again looked dazzling till the time he was at the crease. The sinewy wrists were in play as he hit seven fours and a six, dealing with spinners comfortably.
Even Cheteshwar Pujara’s (15 off 38 balls) dismissal off Jack Leach’s “peach” didn’t unfaze the young man from Punjab as he along with Kohli calmly went about their business.
–PTI

Press Trust of India