India vs England, 2024: Architects of series win for India against England. India beat England by 4-1 margin and jump to no. 1 spot in WTC 2023-25 table.
The emphatic series win over England on competitive pitches was not only one of India's finest at home, it also reaffirmed their supremacy in the longest format. The youngsters exposed Bazballs’ frailties and forced the visitors to rethink their strategy, putting some doubt in their minds.
The likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Mohammed Shami were not available and the shocking defeat in the thriller series opener endangered India's enviable dominance at home. But Men in Blue found a way to make a comeback in the series and put pressure back on their aggressive opposition over the next four games.
Four out of the five debutants Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep and Devdutt Padikkal showed they were ready for the big stage while the pillars of the team like the captain himself, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin also stood tall with timely performances.
Jaisball trumps Bazball
Yashasvi Jaiswal came of age in the series and ended up with as many as 712 runs, becoming only the second India batter to scale the 700-run peak in a series after the great Sunil Gavaskar, who has achieved this feat twice in his career.
However, the gargantuan numbers won't be enough to measure the decisive impact he made in the series. His back-to-back double hundreds in Vizag and Rajkot went a long way in keeping the Englishmen at bay. Especially in the second Test in Vizag, his 209 was the only reason India got to 396 in the first innings, with the next-best score being 34.
The way he was able to absorb pressure and change gears was the hallmark of his batting and a record 26 sixes, the most in any Test series, spoke a lot about his power game.
The Southpaw batter also became the fastest from the biggest cricket-loving nation to amass 1000 Test runs. He now holds the record of hitting the most sixes in a Test innings and a Test series for India with 20 maximums.
He scored two back-to-back double hundreds and became the third India player to do so after Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli.
Read More: IND vs ENG, 2024: Story of Young Yashasvi Jaiswal - From Grassroots to International Glory
Klassic Kuldeep
Kuldeep Yadav operating at his best in the last four Tests also added to the deadliness of the spin attack, not giving any breathing space to the confused opposition. He picked up 19 wickets in four matches at an average of 20.15 including a fifer in the first innings of the final Test.
His performance in Dharamsala summed up his invaluable contribution to the team's cause. On a flat day one track, he got the ball to turn a lot more than others to end with a five-wicket haul as England collapsed to 218 all out from a promising 100 for one. He has also showcased his prowess with the bat twice in the series, sharing a fifty partnership with Jasprit Bumrah in the first innings of the fifth Test and a century stand with Dhruv Jurel in the Ranchi Test. The southpaw batter has amassed crucial 97 runs at number nine for India.
Debutants make it count
Dhruv Jurel got a handy 46 at the back end of the first innings before affecting a sharp run out of Ben Duckett in the second. He then secured himself a spot in India's next Test series with a rearguard 90 that allowed the hosts to get close to England's first-innings score of 353.
Sarfaraz, who had to wait years for his big break, felt at home from the get-go as he made a fifty in each innings of the Rajkot Test. His play against spin was sublime and in Dharamsala, he showed he can also handle the express pace of Mark Wood.
Pacer Akash Deep had the morning of his life as he ran through England's top order on day one in Ranchi while Devdutt Padikkal, who made an unexpected debut in Dharamsala, was all class in his 65 off 103 balls.
Bumrah goes ballistic in Vizag
It was a highly watchable five-match series. And, at the top of the spectacular moments were Bumrah's spell of reverse swing in Visakhapatnam. He got the 25-over ball to reverse and ended up with a sensational six-wicket haul.
The booming reverse swinging yorker to shatter Ollie Pope's stumps will not be forgotten anytime soon.
Jasprit Bumrah featured in four Tests out of the five and played a pivotal role in India’s stunning series win. He finished the series with 19 wickets and had received the Player of the Match award for his pace bowling brilliance in the second Test despite Jaiswal’s maiden Test double century.
The legend of R Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin's role in the England series at home was paramount. As a seasoned off-spinner, his ability to exploit the spinning conditions tilted the balance of the game in India's favour. With his precision and tactical acumen, Ashwin not only took crucial wickets but also built pressure on the opposition.
Ashwin, who played his 100th Test here, finished the five-match series as the top wicket-taker, bagging 26 wickets, including two fifers. He also achieved the 500 Test wickets landmark during the Rajkot Test. With the five-wicket haul in the second innings of the Dharamsala Test, Ashwin also became the India bowler with the most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket and also equalled legendary off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan in terms of most wickets (9) in the 100th Test.
Looking ahead, the architects of India's series win have laid a solid foundation for sustained success in Test cricket. The seamless integration of youth and experience, coupled with a never-say-die attitude, bodes well for the team's prospects in future challenges. As they celebrate their triumph against England, Team India can take pride in knowing that they have once again reaffirmed their status as a cricketing powerhouse on the global stage.
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