Rohit, Ajay Jadeja musings on India thumping the Bangla Tamans at Kanpur on October 1 point to the shift perceptions by cricketing teams may now undergo about the Indian Test team. There is a new fearlessness a new air of selflessness about the team under Rohit Sharma. It is a style that crosses generations, coaches and player-rotation inputs and speaks more in the language of collective play Not even an easy victory over Bangladesh by nearly two sessions underscores it with India wanting to impress even when things were not going its way.
The Kanpur Test was a real eye-opener into India aggressive mindset almost T20 cricket than Test cricket really. On Days 4 and 5 Indian batsmen never feared failure and did precisely what their minds had scripted. Bangladesh miserable the first hour resumed their first innings only on Day 4 after they had been knocked over in just over a session on Monday. India instead of being cautionary and making cautious decisions after two days of rain chose the flamboyant game with a positive attacking strategy-a “Bazball” in parlance as used in English cricket.
From previous performances on such weather lapses teams might have still settled for a draw opting for individual milestones rather than the win. For the batting men in Green Park no one would have lambasted Rohit Sharma and his boys had they opted for a cautious and safe game. After all the sub-standard drainage facilities meant that rain, which kept away during the day refused to let play happen for two consecutive days. But what is telling about this Indian team is the determination it’s showing to try to take the game forward rather than just tick off the days.
The bowlers were again the hero of the Indians, as Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja were as tumultuous as they could have been against the Bangladeshi batsmen. They had set the pre-match tone as well and were an epitome of richness of Indian class coming together on a day like this. All bowlers had something different to offer making the Bangladeshi batsmen struggle against the onslaught.
With 95 runs left to win in the second innings India charged into the game with similar aggression. Match Man of the Match Yashasvi Jaiswal vindicated his approach by scoring a breezy half-century and a composed Virat Kohli supported it while their partnership not only helped win the match but also highlighted the strengths in team work and the ability to gel at one own support.
Kanpur Test: Rohit Sharma Reinvention
Gautam Gambhir is there who is famous for his indomitable spirit and never-say-die attitude. Observing Gambhir. it seems that India is all set to play Test cricket with a liberating mentality. Their entertaining two-day victory against Bangladesh in the Kanpur Test is a grim reminder for all the other teams in the World Test Championship. This proved that the Indian team does not just score quick runs but it also manages to maintain an untiring tempo in the game longest format.
As the Indians aspire to reach the World Test Championship final they must win five matches at home two of which are already in the bag. They await three more from New Zealand in October and November. The very prospect of this merciless Indian side coming to play without the burden of championship standings is tantalizing. Imagine Rohit Sharma and his boys going out to play in Australia free of shackles free to unfurl their skill and flair.
The Kanpur Test victory was an exemplary instance of this new Indian approach. India achieved an easy win in nearly two days even as the rain that persisted most of the time resulted in major portions of the play being washed out. It is something that not only uplifts the morale of the team but also puts forward the kind of competition they want to play going ahead. The boys have proved that they are adaptable and can breathe well, whatever the conditions outside may be, which is very important in such an unpredictable game like cricket.
it was very essential that Rohit Sharma leadership had to adopt such an aggressive mindset. He is not only a captain but a leader that the players can rely on. He inspires them to try calculated risks. This perfectly reflects in his batting philosophy where he does not hesitate to launch from very start though he does attack from the beginning, especially powerplay overs. which makes scoring chances and forces the bowlers into applied pressure. This mindset could alter the Indian perception about cricket specially about Test matches. which are haunted by traditionalism and maximize conservatism rather than aggression.
The inclusion of Gambhir in this balance of team strength would further strengthen this bold attitude. Gambhir has the track record of behaving bravely under pressure. So, his presence in critical situations would be a resilient addition in the team. This could provoke the younger generation into similar mentality into the role of relentless pursuit and lessening one fears to reach for the stars. It is much needed now as India needs to regain the top spot in Test cricket.
INDIA BREATH LIFE INTO KANPUR TEST
Kanpur India injected much-needed adrenaline on the fourth day of the Test match against Bangladesh with a batting assault that bore more resemblance to T20 cricket. The decisive shift in approach allowed India to take away a commanding 52-run lead in the first innings. It was good to see the sun come out and open up a thrilling day of cricket after two miserable days that lost India eight sessions to rain.
just six sessions left to force a result India was in no mood to hold itself back and came out all guns blazing. The Indians could now produce the goods on a flat track that was offering little assistance to the bowlers and Bangladesh was dismissed for 233 on the first innings. Mominul Haque resisted well his gritty innings extending unbeaten to 107, but it wasn’t enough to stop India on their way to taking a complete stranglehold of the game towards a potential draw the hosts were to make other plans.
The runs coming their way, India shattered many records for the quickest milestones achieved in Test cricket. A 50-run figure was reached within 18 balls and a 100 within 74. And then came 200 just in 24.2 overs. This all-around assault supported not only the talent that Indian batsmen showed but also determination to take control of the game. India declared their second innings at 285 for 9 leaving the team with Bangladesh a very tough task ahead.
Bangladesh finished the play of Day 4 at 26 for 2 and were still lagging behind by 26 runs. But Ravichandran Ashwin made deep inroads and picked up two quick wickets, leaving the visitors to further pressure as they prepared for a challenging final day. While Jaiswal explosive innings was surely the highlight, solid contribution from Shubhman Gill at 39 runs and a fast-paced 87-run partnership between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul did infuse enough aggression in Indian after all. Kohli became the only the fourth player in history to cross 27,000 international runs across all formats in this innings.
This achievement further spurred him into the pantheon of the greats and reminded everyone of the longevity of his skills as an opening batsman. Aggressive batting not only revived the Indian innings but also set up a template for the rest of the game. Emerging to win rather than look for a draw. Indians showed they can indeed change their approach and handle pressure, characteristics that epitomize modern Test cricket-let alone be risk-prone and entertaining.
Under a bright Indian sun at Kanpur the team looked quite dramatically the best blend of experience and youthfulness under Rohit Sharma leadership-a captain who inspires free-flowing cricket. Such philosophies fostered over the last few series seem to have sunk into the system so much that the players are not burdened any more by the weight of past failures.
Then by the last day Bangladesh job turned squarely into a pressure job-to take that big total with the right intent to guarantee themselves from losing the match. But the issue is Ashwin was in good touch and the Indians were just boosted by the aggressive batting performance put in by their own batsmen.
The atmosphere in the stadium was electric as Indian fans rallied behind their team, knowing that they were witnessing a transformation in the way their players approached Test cricket. Such aggressive intent in the innings became palpable and started to reshape perceptions about what could be possible in the longest format of the game.
