ENG vs IND 2025, Lord’s Test: Why can’t India finish off the tail in Tests? England’s last three add 61 at Lord’s.
The ongoing England vs India Test series has exposed a few weaknesses in India’s camp. Most notably, it has been their inability to mop up the tail. In contrast, England have been right on the money with their bowling, and field placements in getting the India tailenders (No. 8th to 10thbatters) dismissed for almost nothing on the board. In India’s first innings in the third Test at Lord’s, England gave away just 2 runs to clean up the last three wickets. England bowled stumps to stumps, perfect line-and-length bowling, and set up a trap for the last wicket Washington Sundar as he top-edged behind the keeper where a fielder was strategically placed.
A look at the innings of each Test played so far in the series shows how India’s tailenders have no answer to England’s accurate and disciplined bowling. On the other hand, England’s tailenders have done slightly better than their Indian counterparts.
Here’s how India and England’s tailenders have fared so far in the series:
England’s tailenders do slightly better than India’s
India’s last three batters have not collectively scored more than 15 runs even once in four innings. On the other hand, England’s tailenders have done slightly better, scoring 30 runs and above twice in four innings so far in the series.
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What England bowlers are doing right in polishing off the tail?
In India’s first innings of the first Test, India were comfortably placed at 430/3. But once the two set batters and centurions Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant fell in quick succession, England tore into the tailenders, taking out the last seven wickets for 41 runs and last three wickets for just 13 runs.
England didn’t let the pressure off once they dismissed Gill-Pant. They got their strike bowlers to continue charging at the tailenders, leaving no room for escape. They also maintained a tight line and length bowling that they had earlier used for India’s top-batters. Besides, they didn’t allow any middle-order batter to throw his bat around while shielding a tailender. England’s accurate disciplined bowling got them the tailenders out cheaply, and helped them to wrap up the innings quickly.
Also, worth mentioning is their field placements. India’s first innings in the third Test is a case in point. English skipper Ben Stokes had a fielder in the deep right behind the keeper knowing well an edge may fly back. And that’s how Sundar was dismissed with just 2 runs added by the last three wickets.
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Where India’s bowlers are erring?
A look at India’s bowling to England’s tailenders show India have erred in looking to move away from the basics. Instead of bowling an accurate stump-to-stump line, they have bowled wider and away from the line of wickets, hoping for the tailenders to chase and edge it behind. Or India’s bowlers threw short balls at tailenders looking to bounce them out. A sort of complacency had also crept in when England tailenders were in the middle. Not only the bowlers, fielders, even the captain has not shown an urgency to pick up the tailenders’ wickets cheaply and wrap up the innings.
In England’s first innings in the third Test, Bumrah was taken off the attack after he took three quick wickets to reduce England to 271 for 7. England heaved a sigh of relief and staged a comeback to add 116 runs for the last three wickets. India captain Gill committed a mistake in not bringing Bumrah back quickly after a short break to wrap up the tail. In Bumrah’s place, spinners and Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep bowled to England’s tailenders who made merry as other India’s bowlers were not as dangerous or unplayable as Bumrah at that moment. The inexperience of Gill’s captaincy came to the fore during this phase when the England’s tailenders made some useful 100 runs for the last three wickets.
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How does it make a difference?
If the last three wickets add 30 to 40 runs, it adds weight to the team’s total, and making a total of 400-plus looks a far tougher to chase it down compared to 300 or 330-plus. These extra few runs to the team’s total can easily shift the momentum in the team’s favour. Also, when tailenders or bowlers score a few quick runs, it also does good to their confidence and they can come out all guns blazing with the ball.
Remember the 2021 Lord’s Test when Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah posted an unbeaten ninth-wicket stand of 89 runs in India’s second innings and set up a target of 272 runs in 60 overs. Shami and Bumrah took four wickets together and other bowlers combined to dismiss England all out for 120 within 55 overs, and win the match by 151 runs.
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