Fourth test: A do or die for Bazball to stamp its authority?

India Vs England 4th Test

Living by the sword and dying by it, is the mindset that Stokes and his Bazballers have always been promulgating as their very own discrete brand of cricket. A mantra that has always put them on the brink of eternal glory or a colossal collapse like the one we witnessed at Rajkot in the third test of the five-match series against India.

The latter has prevailed in the last two tests as the team faced a scathing indictment for their lack of perseverance while batting. And England’s aggressive style of play which had received much applause after their win in Hyderabad, came back under the scanner after their humbling defeat in Rajkot. 

The poms in the first three tests have averaged 48.3 runs per wicket for their first two wickets. While it drops to 20.6 for wicket number three, four, and five combined, positions occupied by Root and Bairstow - both of whom have consistently failed in their roles. 

Part of the “Fab Four”, the ever-so-prolific Joe Root, as pointed out by Ravi Shastri in the Commentary box, has bowled more overs in this series than the number of runs he has scored. After the third Test, Root now has 77 runs in the series while throwing down off-breaks for 107 overs. 

Jhonny Bairstow has also been under the firing line with Foakes continuing to do exceptionally well behind the wicket. Bairstow’s average after playing 11 Tests in India is 25 which is 11 lower than his career Test average of 36. He has now scored four ducks in India with only three half-centuries to his name. But there is someone else who is eagerly waiting in the dugout for his chance to prove his mettle, Dan Lawrence. The allrounder from Essex also has the asset of off-spin that might help take some load off Root. The only way now for Bairstow to stay in the eleven is by finding the requisite inspiration and bringing his A-game back in the Ranchi test.

But the Ranchi pitch will also not be a walk in the park for the English men, who have been overzealous with their words, crediting anything and everything to their quirky brand of test cricket, The Bazball. 

From the two Tests played at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi till now, the venue has gained the reputation of a slow-turning wicket. The stereotypical subcontinent pitch, which has been made up of black soil with cracks that are likely to be exploited under dry heat, making it conducive for batting early on, with spinners taking over as the game progresses. So, due to little help from the wicket for the seamers, spinners seem to have bowled 60.3% of the total overs bowled at the venue snapping up 54.95 of the total wickets available.

And with Bumrah likely to be rested in the fourth test, India might be enticed into bringing an extra spinner in Axar or Sundar who can help exploit the pitch more along with some contributions with bat. Additionally, Axar in this series - till the first two tests before getting dropped - was India’s third-highest run scorer. 

Bumrah’s absence might also prove to be the blessing in disguise English batter required as he remains the major difference between both the team’s bowling departments till now. With India famous for its rank turners, his 17 wickets - highest in the series till now - at an average of 13 runs per wicket, is a testament to his dexterity.

Root in particular has been under duress while facing the number one ranked bowler in test cricket. Bumrah has seen him off nine times in 21 innings at an average of 28.22 of which three came in the ongoing series. But India might try to pit Jadeja against the seasoned English batter in Bumrah’s absence - Root has the lowest false shot percentage against Jadeja among all Indian bowlers this series (9.7%) but has scored only 10 runs against the left-arm orthodox spinner for two wickets. 

But greatness has a knack for rising from nothingness and the poms have decided to bite the bullet as they had tried last year during the Ashes, when the Three Lions were in a similar position against Australia post the third test match. “We've got two games left and all I'm thinking about is winning this series 3-2,” Stokes had reckoned. 

In retrospect, India has won 16 consecutive test series at home with the last defeat dating back to 2012, inflicted by a non-Bazball influenced English side. While England are yet to register a series defeat under the leadership of Stokes and McCullum.