Team India failed to comeback from Lord’s debacle and succumbed to humiliating defeat in the second test match, where bowlers bowled very well in first innings. MS Dhoni has never lost two Tests in a row, nor have India lost a Test series under his captaincy. But now, Andrew Strauss’s men are not only threatening to win the Pataudi Trophy, but also are marching towards the title of the best Test team in the world.
Can Team India get much required impetus with Sehwag’s addition?
The defeat at Nottingham may well hurt more than Lord’s. India won the toss and bowled in conditions that make seam bowlers happy. They eventually dismissed England for 221 and took a first-innings lead of 67. Anyone who walked into the Indian dressing room at tea on the first day and told them they were going to be defeated inside four days by 319 runs would be called fool.
Virender Sehwag, who missed the first two Tests of the England tour, is scheduled to join the Indian team. Sehwag, who was ruled out for the first fortnight of the England series when the Indian selectors announced the Test squad on July 2, is expected to be available for the last two Tests. The Indians play a two-day tour match against Northants starting this Friday ahead of the third Test which starts in Birmingham next week.
India would be optimistic about opening with their regular pair of Sehwag and Gautam Gamhir in Northampton and then in the third Test at Edgbaston. Gambhir has recovered from the left-shoulder injury he picked while fielding in England’s second innings at Lord’s. Sehwag’s return would definitely be a shot in the arm for India, who have been completely outplayed in the series so far and are 2-0 down. It was in England that he scored his first century as an opener, at Trent Bridge in 2002, though he missed the 2007 tour.
India’s No. 1 ranking is now in jeopardy after two thumping defeats to England, who now only need to draw the remaining Tests to take the top spot. Ganguly urged the Indian players to move on from the demoralizing two weeks.
The series and the No. 1 ranking are still not lost for India, and they will be boosted by the return of Gambhir for the third Test, and two other key players – Sehwag and Zaheer Khan – could also be back. Team India needs to quickly recover from the two successive defeats; and should be able to comeback in series with addition of Virender Sehwag.
Tags: Cricket, India, MS Dhoni, Team India, Test Match, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan
