India vs England | Takeaways: Ravindra Jadeja does a Sam Curran and making sense of Adil Rashid the Test cricketer
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After securing a 40-run lead in the first innings, England are in the pole position in the Tests as the team raced away to 114/2 at the end of Day 3. While Alastair Cook has played a very composed innings for England so far, it was Ravindra Jadeja who stole the show with a fantastic batting display.
Jadeja does a Sam Curran to frustrate England big-time
If there has been a big difference for the result that we are having now, it is England’s tail-enders, who have won them the series single-handedly and at the heart of it, was Sam Curran, who bats like a pro against the world-class batting unit. And today, India had Ravindra Jadeja to thank for saving India from the blushes. Jadeja kept his eye on the ball and very quickly, he understood that playing time was the key. Although he was beaten a few times in the morning against the swing and seam of Anderson and Broad, he made sure that he got runs as well and was never under too much pressure.
In the first hour of the morning session, Jadeja left alone 28 deliveries and defended 11 and in the second
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Making sense of Adil Rashid’s role in the team
After Moeen Ali’s reintegration to the set-up, Adil Rashid seems to have a very minimal role to play in the series. He bowled just 10 overs out of a total 95 overs in this match, and even in Southampton, he didn’t have to do much bowling 14 wicket-less overs. Yes, he sometimes contributes with the bat, but that can’t be the sole reason for his selection. So, why has he been selected for the final Test? There has to be a more logical explanation for the same.
Rashid hasn’t actually been the enforcer, but he has been a master complement. He dismissed Virat Kohli twice in this series and has seven wickets to show to his name at an average of 32.71, which is not that bad enough. But, more than that, he is a big ally for his fellow spinner - Moeen Ali. The Worcestershire all-rounder tends to bowl better when another spinner operates from the other end - be it Liam Dawson, Gareth Batty, or Adil Rashid. So, it makes perfect sense that Rashid will be the sub-ordinate and Moeen Ali be given the opportunity to exploit those marks.
Can Moeen prove himself at No.3?
For far too long, England don’t have a good top order and it has been magnified in the last one year. In a line-up that has so many middle-order batsmen, it was going to take an incredible effort for them to settle down in one position. However, as was seen in the last two Tests, Moeen Ali could make the No. 3 position his own, allowing Joe Root the freedom to bat his favourite slot - No. 4.
Moeen's not an incompetent batsman, but he doesn’t bully the bowlers like a Ricky Ponting can with his forward press. Moeen continues to play inside the line and doesn’t follow the ball when it straightens away from the angle and towards the keeper and slip. It is a frustrating tactics against any bowler as it continues to make them wait for batsman’s mistake or a very good ball like the one that Jasprit Bumrah bowled to Keaton Jennings in the first innings of this Test. A forward press allows the LBW, but Moeen takes that out of the equation more often than not with the sheer strength of not allowing the opposition to dominate. It is a very viable tactic and one that Joe Root will think the all-rounder would keep for the future series.
