In the recently concluded second Test between India and England, the spotlight shone on India’s dominance as they aimed to recover from a 0-1 deficit in the series. Despite missing key players, captain Rohit Sharma led the team admirably. Young talents Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill showcased their batting prowess, complemented by Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional bowling performance, reaffirming his status as one of the world’s premier pacers.
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, on the brink of a significant milestone, fell just one wicket short of joining the exclusive 500 Test wickets club, a feat achieved only by Anil Kumble among Indian bowlers. Speculations arose, with former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen suggesting that Ashwin might not have bowled at his peak with the milestone looming. Pietersen anticipated that once Ashwin attained the milestone, he would perform more relaxed.
Kevin Pietersen said: “Ashwin was just chasing milestone. That’s why he didn’t bowl as well as he could have bowled. He did get it right on occasions. I thought he was way more threatening bowling wider outside off-stump round the wicket. I think he bowled over the wicket way too much to the right-handers. He can change bowling over-bowling around-bowling over more.”
“I’m certainly never going to say that he hasn’t got it or the England bowlers have found him out. He is a tremendous bowler and he’s got some big breakthroughs. It is about the team; it’s not about the individual. He will want one more wicket and when he gets that may you’ll see him a lot more relaxed, the shoulder drops and I can just now get on with the game.”
The Indian bowlers engaged in a gripping battle against England’s aggressive batting, securing a crucial 106-run victory in the second Test. Despite England’s fearless pursuit of a record target of 399, they succumbed to India’s resilient bowling, losing nine wickets in two sessions. The series is now levelled at 1-1, setting the stage for an intriguing third Test scheduled to take place in Rajkot starting on February 15.
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