Against all odds, England snatch a thrilling 28-run win from India in Hyderabad, thanks to Pope’s masterful century and Hartley’s sensational debut.
The tourists, led by Pope’s epic 196 and Hartley’s 7-wicket haul, overcame a massive 190-run deficit and India’s 100+ lead to stun the home team, who’d lost just 3 of their last 46 home Tests.
England’s inexperienced bowling attack, with senior spinner Leach injured, delivered a masterclass, hustling India out for 202 after setting a 231 target.
Two days ago, if someone had said that England was going to survive this test match, let alone win it, what a turnaround it has been. England has won the test match at Hyderabad when nobody saw it coming. There is something special about Ben Stokes and the way he leads his troops.
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India had a massive lead over England by the end of the second innings. It’s not very often you see a lead of 190 put down, but also 230 runs added, which any team would be confident to defend in the fourth innings. The story unfolded quickly.
A team has to put in an incredible amount of effort to be in that position. It is about playing roles, and as Ben Stokes calls it, a loss doesn’t change your life much; you wake up again with the same enthusiasm. It may hurt, but it should never become a restraining factor that hinders the progress of a team.
So, this is how test cricket evolves. You never know which side is going to be on top at any moment. Without Ollie Pope’s 196, England could have never piled up 420 runs in the third innings. How crucial it was for England to make India lose three wickets without conceding a single run in the second innings.
Those small moments define a test match. Things happen unexpectedly, and there is something about sports in particular. Someone thinks, “Oh! this cannot happen,” and the unpredictability brings unforeseen outcomes in the game.
India didn’t do much wrong as it seems, but it was sheer commitment and brilliance from Ben Stokes and his troops that allowed England to find a way to make a match out of the situation. Maybe India took England lightly, and to add to that, it appeared that England learned quickly and put pressure back on Indian bowlers.
On the other hand, this is the only weakness of India that they failed to operate collectively when put under pressure. It was clearly visible in the Cricket World Cup final and then again in this match when Ollie Pope was batting. They waited for something to happen, and England didn’t allow much leverage in that case.
