IND vs ENG 2nd Test: India need collectivism as much as individual dazzle to win in Vizag

Before England took the field on Sunday, Brendon McCullum told them that “even if the target is 600, we are going for it’. They require just more than half of those runs on a pitch that is not showing any signs of waking up, but the match is on a knife’s edge, promising to swing either way. England have wiped off 67 runs in 14 overs in the final hour of the final session of Day 3, chasing 399, but this could yet be the biggest ever challenge for the unflappable Bazballers.

The highest any team has chased in a fourth innings to win a Test in India is 387, achieved by the host themselves against England in 2008, just weeks after 26/11, inspired by a breathtaking knock by Virender Sehwag. If Zak Crawley continues to provide the spark at the top, then there is a strong chance of England overtaking it.

It is not new for the Bazballers. In 2022, against India at Edgbaston, they chased down a target of 378 without breaking much sweat. Before that against New Zealand, they chased three successive totals of 280-plus to set the Bazball era loading. Going one step further here at Visakhapatnam would be icing on the cake.

Stumps on Day 3 in Vizag 🏟️

England 67/1 in the second-innings, need 332 more to win.

An eventful Day 4 awaits 👌👌

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/X85JZGt0EV#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/nbocQX36hB

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 4, 2024

That India got to 255 in the second innings was largely thanks to Shubman Gill’s century as India’s batting unit continues to blow hot and cold. Ideally, India would have hoped to put a safe target on board. Of course, they still managed a lead of 398, but it is the Bazball approach that is not attaching a firm favourite tag next to them.

In that sense, like in the first innings of Hyderabad, India may regret leaving a few runs behind here in the second innings. Despite the track not showing any signs of crumbling, the next highest score after Gill’s 104 was Axar Patel’s 45. Yashasvi Jaiswal – double centurion in the first innings—Shreyas Iyer, Rajat Patidar, and KS Bharat could not lend any support to their cause.

That they were in search of a safe target was not lost on England, who attacked at both ends, especially after McCullum told them not to worry about how much they leaked. “I think the nerves were there to see today, the way they batted. I think they didn’t know how many was enough,” James Anderson said. “They were quite cautious, even when they had a big lead. I know there are 180 overs left in the game, but we will try to do it in 60 or 70. That’s the way we play. We have set our stall out, tomorrow (Monday) will be no different, we will play the same way we have the last two years. Whether we win or lose, it’s not irrelevant because we are extremely competitive and want to win every game we play. We want to play in a certain way. I think we will be doing that tomorrow (Monday),” Anderson added.

Partnership broken! ⚡️@ashwinravi99 with the opening breakthrough as local lad @KonaBharat takes a fine catch!

England lose Ben Duckett.

Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/X85JZGt0EV#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/hO3sJEQslz

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 4, 2024

Needed: Collectivism

So far in the Test, India have managed to stay on top mostly due to individual brilliance than collective effort. Over the course of three days, Jaiswal, Jasprit Bumrah and Gill have not only kept them in the game, but also have laid a platform. On Day 4, India need their attack to step up more than ever before, particularly after how easy England’s batsmen found it in the final hour of Sunday.

This is a pitch where India will need more of Bumrah. But for the fast bowler to stay effective, they need support from the other end, which Mukesh Kumar doesn’t seem to provide. Having gone wicketless in the first innings, Ashwin got off the mark by removing Ben Duckett, but sans enough assistance, how far the off-spinner and Kuldeep Yadav would be able to run-through England’s batting adds to the mystery.

1⃣0⃣4⃣ Runs
1⃣4⃣7⃣ Balls
1⃣1⃣ Fours
2⃣ Sixes

That was one fine knock from Shubman Gill! 👏 👏

Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/X85JZGt0EV #TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/YlzDM8vwjb

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 4, 2024

In the last Test that India played here, against South Africa, it was Mohammed Shami’s reverse-swings that finished the job on the final day. Having found enough reverse-swing in the first two Tests, especially with a semi-new ball, how well they make use of it in the first-half of the day could well determine which way this Test is headed. That Gill said 70:30 in favour of India says the unease that exists in the dressing room.

For England, there is a bit of uncertainty around Joe Root’s availability to bat, who injured his finger while fielding. But irrespective of his availability, the game is on a knife’s edge.

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