Dharamshala, March 8 -- Bang, bang, bang. This was the sound heard from the blades of the Indian batters as they battered England into submission in the fifth and final Test here on Friday. In what has become a predictable pattern for India, scoring hundreds and fifties has become so easy, as if this English side is not a national side but a County side.
No disrespect to the visitors, the way skipper Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and company shredded the English bowling attack - pace and spin - was a reminder of how good India have been in this series. At stumps, on Day2 in the foothills of the Himalayas, India were 473 for 8, the lead of 255 runs giving the hosts more than an edge.
The narrative is about the way two men have shown dominance and destroyed the English bowling, where, only in the post lunch session, the spinners, Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley made some effort. For sheer power, punch and poise, Gill and Rohit Sharma were batting with infinite belief in their ability.
This was bold and beautiful strokeplay against the backdrop of the picturesque foothills of the Himalayas, where serenity stares at you. That is, when you are in the stands or visiting monasteries nearby. Inside the HPCA stadium and in the middle of the 22 yards which is the cricket pitch, Gill and Rohit were almost engaged in a competition as to who would first hammer a hundred.
The way Rohit scored his ton, the second in the series, was a class act. Sadly, after lunch, he fell to Ben Stokes, the England captain, bowling for the first time in this series. Rohit had shown amazing touch on Thursday and his batting on Friday bordered on arrogance and brilliance. He is simply in that mood where he will not spare the red ball. His 103 off 162 balls was a treat to watch.
Just after Rohit had slammed his ton, the poster boy of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill, got into the run riot act. To smash the ball for a six and score his century was proof he has found his mojo. A few weeks ago, when he was not batting well, there was gossip, should he be dropped. No way, two tons in this series and batting at Bazball pace was a delight to watch. Perhaps, a student of English literature may have enjoyed describing his play in prose and poetry.
For the average cricket fan who has watched Gill score runs at break-neck speed in white ball cricket, the explosive nature of his batting in Tests has been standout. The pessimist may say there was nothing much in the wicket for the bowlers. Don't believe that, Gill played like Gill, a bold batter who does not hide or attempt to conceal his hunger for runs. The 110 runs he scored was at a crisp pace, studded with 12 fours and five sixes.
If England thought these two batters departing would ease things up, what followed was an avalanche of runs where debutant Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan rubbed salt into the wounds of the Englishmen. Sarfaraz has already given more than a hint of how he can bat in earlier Tests. Yes, the pressure may have been less, but Padikkal, coming in at the last minute for Rajat Patidar, he grabbed the chance with both hands.
The southpaw from Kerala who plays for Karnataka in domestic cricket showed eagerness and technique in tackling pace and spin.
The beauty in this five-test series has been how India have flourished minus superstars like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, who played just one Test, Rishabh Pant, still in recovery mode. When you factor in the quiet burial given to Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, youngsters have stepped in and performed.
For Padikkal to score after settling down was good. It shows, India has batters who can deliver, even if the chance is coming late. His 65 off 103 balls was proof he can deliver even on debut. For someone born in Kerala, raised in Hyderabad and then playing in Karnataka, Devdutt Padikkal has passed the first test.
Lower down, after these two departed, there was more misery for England as their bowlers were unable to clean up the tail. As if Kuldeep Yadav needed to show he is developing into a good all-rounder, he was unbeaten at 27 off 55 balls in the company of Jasprit Bumrah (batting 19) at stumps.
This is a sizeable lead and the Indian spinners will like the conditions.
If someone like Shoaib Bashir, slow through the air and naggingly accurate can take wickets, then the Indian bowlers must be smacking their lips! Day 3 will be crucial for England as there is survival at stake.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.