Former England cricketer Michael Atherton feels India would have been 2-0 up in the five-match test series if the rain had not played spoilsport in the Nottingham Test match.
India registered a 151-run victory against England at the Lord’s Cricket Ground on Monday. They came back strongly on the last day after a mini-collapse hampered their innings on the fourth day. India is leading the five-match test series 1-0.
In a column for the Telegraph, Michael Atherton hailed the Indian team for their impressive performance in the series so far. Atherton wrote,
“Although home sensibilities will focus, inevitably, on England’s final day performance on Monday, which was by far unintelligent and then limp, it was India who left an indelible impression. The ferocity of their play, their will to win, and their skill to carry them through difficult moments, should have removed any doubts about how the Nottingham Test would have finished but for rain. To all intent and purposes, India should be 2-0 up.”
Reliving Lord's triumph from the dressing room 👏 👏
The range of emotions, the reactions & the aura in the #TeamIndia dressing room post the historic win at the @HomeOfCricket. 👍 👍 – by @RajalArora
Watch this special feature 🎥 👇 #ENGvINDhttps://t.co/9WFzGX4rDi pic.twitter.com/uR63cLS7j4
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 17, 2021
England has missed the services of Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes, and Ben Stokes in the series. Woakes and Archer are out due to an injury while Stokes is on a break to focus on his mental well-being. Despite the absence of these senior players, England has played well for long periods in the series, wrote Michael Atherton. He added that England should make an alteration to their top-order, who has been struggling throughout the series.
“In short term, given the injuries and lack of domestic first-class cricket to provide alternatives, there is not a great deal to be done. They will (and should) make an alteration at the top of the order if only to reiterate the principle that performance matters,” wrote Michael Atherton.
