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In the press box, most agreed it was a huge gamble: one more bad over, and it would have been curtains for India. But, Ishant picked up two wickets in two balls, and all of a sudden, India had a chance. In another inspired tactical move, Dhoni got Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, his frontline spinners, to bowl overs 19 and 20, teasing the English batters, more comfortable against pace, to slog and perish. It gave Dhoni the only piece of ICC silverware missing from his and India’s collection. India are back in England in June once again and it is the Oval, a ground where Australia have won just twice in 140 years.
“The Oval will have bounce and given that it’s been dry in England at the start of summer it should also offer something for the spinners going forward. Yes, there will be movement but the Oval is as close to Australian conditions as you will get in all of England,” says Greg Chappell, former Australia captain and India coach. “And we all know Virat (Kohli) loves playing in Australian conditions against Australia.”
While for many Australia go in with a slight edge in the final, for Chappell it is not so. “Both teams have had similar preparation or lack of it. Having said that some cricket is always better than no cricket,” says Chappell.
“To say that the Australian fast bowlers will be all over India is not correct. The assumption is they will know the conditions as well as the English, like (James) Anderson and (Stuart) Broad. That is not going to be the case.
“Australia will also need to adjust as much as India and (Mohammed) Shami and (Mohammed) Siraj will ask the same number of questions of the Australian batters.”
So, is Rohit’s IPL form, for example, a matter of concern and is the fact that the Indians are coming to the Oval at the back of a two-month long IPL impact their preparation?
“We all know Test cricket is very different and the conditions are as different as they can possibly be when you compare it with the IPL. The Indians will need to adjust, but then they all are experienced players who are capable of doing so. They need to be mentally switched on and that will matter much more than anything else,” Chappell says.
“Coming to Rohit, it is not about what you or I or anyone else feels about his form. It is about what Rohit feels. Does he have any self-doubts? Or is he feeling good about going out there and batting? If he is in a good zone, there is no question he will bat well. Questions will be asked of him by good bowlers bowling good balls but that’s no different for Rohit compared to any other batter. If he is in a good mind space, IPL form will not matter in this Test match.”
In contrast to Rohit, Shubman Gill has had a brilliant IPL and last six months. He is going through a golden period. Though Gill is a good player, Chappell feels he also has a couple of issues at the start of his innings. “I don’t want to tell you more but I have seen a couple of things he does at the start of his innings that will give the Australians an opportunity or two against him. If I have noticed them, Andrew McDonald, who is a very good coach, must have noticed them as well,” says Chappell.
Australian journalist and author Gideon Haigh, however, differs.
“If you see the way he has batted you know he is batting royalty. I can’t for one imagine why India left him out of the first two Tests of the Border Gavaskar trophy in February. He is certainly the batsman of the future and one who will dominate for much of the next decade,” says Haigh.
Both Chappell and Haigh are in agreement over the Ajinkya Rahane selection and also feel India should go in with two spinners who are both very good batters.
“With Ashwin at 8, you have that extra batting depth that you might need in England. It will also allow India to possibly go in with Ishan Kishan if they want to and let his flamboyance take over much like Rishabh Pant,” says Haigh.
Chappell expects an exciting Test.
“India versus Australia in a neutral venue is a fascinating contest. These are two very good sides and despite the injuries impacting both teams, there are some serious cricketers who will want to do well in this Test,” says Chappell.
“For both teams they have never won this and there can be no greater incentive on offer. It is a chance to do something that has never been done before.” With such high stakes, it can’t get bigger than this.
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