The long history of cricket tells us that if you play with the game, it will affect you badly. England's selection at Edgbaston - based on a deeply flawed policy of rest and rotation - was met with the wrath of the gods, as well as the general derision of supporters and delight from New Zealand players, who chose numbers opposite them, too many for a man. . Indecent ease. India's observation that New Zealand will open the World Test Championship final on Friday with the advantage of two warm-up matches was further bolstered by weak resistance from England. There's nothing better than the unmatched thumping of one opponent before a big fight with another, and thus, Williamson's men will end an almost three-day run at the Ageas Bowl and be confident.
For context in this time of need, England need look no further than the New Zealand cricketers, who keep the game simple by embracing the basic fundamentals of technique and commitment. For a man, they apply themselves with wit and whatever discipline is required; They play and behave with the best examples of the spirit of the game and let their results shout only from the rooftops. It is hard to argue that this New Zealand team is the best team in that country. Williamson & Co will have to act against India to see if they can prove themselves to be the best in the world at the moment.
We'll come to that question in a moment. Meanwhile, let's briefly talk with England. Few cricketers have got the national goodwill which Joe Root loves. He is a delightful person and clearly loves the game of cricket and its people. His pride in captaining England is quite evident and his batting is usually one of joy. It was a shock, when his team's reaction to Williamson's imaginative announcement at Lord's was nothing short of a surprise. Having had time to think about it further, one can only assume that the confidence he claims in his batsmen is not what he really is. Considering how often she is left alone on the bridge, it's hard to blame her. You must be pained to answer all those questions about confusing techniques and/or the mental infirmity of the men you choose to sail with. (Chris Silverwood leaned on inexperience as an excuse—really? They're all a lot more experienced than Devon Conway.)
Root played an unusually limited innings at Edgbaston on Saturday, caught between a rock and the hardest spot. Among his myriad skills, the one that shines the most is the pace of his innings, the best of which controls the game. Here, he was made strokeless, a shadow of the man who scored a double century in Galle and Chennai earlier this year. Accurate and exciting figures are 11 runs in 61 balls in one hour 42 minutes. Eventually he cut the one a little closer to his body for comfort and went to the wicketkeeper. The shock of the moment and the pain of inevitable defeat were clearly visible on his face.
If there's one task for those in and around the England captain in the coming weeks, it's to clear his diary of the extraneous things he sweats about. We didn't need to hear from Root on discrimination—not at length anyway—nor did he need to explain the moral direction with which we should all find our way. A line in support of Ollie Robinson may well have gone down, especially when the lad was distraught beyond words. In fact, Robinson's Tiger Woods-like Mea Culpa at the end of the game on the first day at Lord's was a shock, apparently written for her by someone else and beyond a simple and sincere message of remorse she almost certainly herself. loved to express.
My own view is that the ECB had no choice but to take him out of the limelight for a week or two while planning an education program so badly needed if the curse of racism in sport is properly addressed. To be understood and fought in a meaningful way. But seeing Robinson so humiliated was both unnecessary and unhelpful.
The load on the route is increasing. If he played a role in the rest and rotation policy, he should now know he did it wrong. More recently, English cricket has been responsible for marginalizing first-class play and giving Test cricket the less attention it deserves. County games are mainly squeezed into pockets at the beginning and end of the season, when conditions provide little for players to prepare for five days. this makes no sense. Over time, the poor performance of the Test team will sharply reduce the value of the television rights around which the game revolves. Furthermore, it would impair the viewing experience, as the aesthetic appeal of cricket comes from the methods and applications that have served it well since 1877, when Charlie Bannerman first provoked the English in Melbourne and the Parsis in Bombay. Took various European teams in, before Ranjitsinhji put it. To bat after a decade or so.
Indian cricket has long been a subject of great beauty and excitement. It is celebrated on the grounds of cities and on the grounds of the countryside, with games played by children of all ages and adults. Commentary is in many languages: Rahul Dravid once said that the Indian team he captained had ten and eleven together and they could not understand each other at the crease but every minute of their short time there loved to And yes, the tenth wicket fell on a run out.
It is absolutely correct that India should play the first World Test Championship final. It is only a pity that they will not do this at home. Instead, the venue is the Ageas Bowl - just 20 minutes outside Southampton - the home of Hampshire, a club that includes Malcolm Marshall, Robin Smith and Shane Warne among its alumni. It is a young ground with wonderful facilities, good sized boundaries and a fair pitch that rotates when the weather is dry, as has been the case throughout the month. In 2014, Moeen Ali gave England a win over India with his offbreak, so R Ashwin can enjoy himself over the weekend.
India starts out as minor favorites because of the options at their disposal. The batting is long, strong and balanced in both defense and attack; Bowling is served by speed, steam and spin; Fielding from the athleticism and violent nature of the captain. His game is played without any bias. It is practical when there must be needs but more often than not is full of personality and expression.
New Zealanders have tremendous passion and no less skill. It is equally fitting that they are there too. In preparation, they dot the eye and cross tee, impressing with their calm approach to all things and their kind sports face. It will not be an exaggeration to say that they have beaten England well in every aspect of the game in both the recent matches. It's been a long time since this happened. Often the house of the Englishman has been his palace.
In Virat Kohli, India has a one-time cricketer. The will to win is worn on his sleeve in a way that annoys the opponents and upsets the spectators. If the little charm of the past is gone, there is an exciting hope in its place. The players who will gather as one on Friday morning are a testament to Kohli's force of nature and the BCCI's long-term strategy, which has made the IPL the world's most powerful and sought-after cricket product, while ensuring That test matches remain cricket. A leading cricket platform.
Right now, India can keep the two teams in the park and compete favorably; In short-form cricket, maybe three. Every position in the team is covered by another but there are few names on the team sheet who bring consistency and compatibility to a vibrant and passionate dressing room.
Kohli is one of the three great modern batsmen, a title that comes and goes for Joe Root but is a permanent fixture in this match for both captains and for Steve Smith. Williamson is the least attractive of the three but the most efficient. His simple moves and straight bat are a lesson in minimalism for Smith, the polar opposite if you will. Kohli has superb wrist and footwork features, as well as the appetite of very few. The match between Williamson and Kohli is the centerpiece of the occasion.
New Zealand were beaten 3-0 in India almost five years ago - R Ashwin, chief humbbler. Too long to be relevant? Maybe, but six-sevenths of this current New Zealand team was then. India batted first in all three Tests and Kohli scored a double century in the third. Frankly, it's so hard to play in India, especially if you're losing the toss, that any intelligent tourist would park it behind them as a remarkable experience, but pay attention, lest the madness take hold.
Sixteen months earlier, India was given a right by Williamson's Happy Band, in both Wellington and Christchurch. The first Test, which New Zealand won by ten wickets, was their 100th Test win, 33 of which have been achieved with Tim Southee and Trent Boult together as they surely will on Friday. He is followed by Neil Wagner, Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson. Against them is Jasprit Bumrah and any of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Takur and Umesh Yadav. Two great fast attacks in an era of impressive fast bowling.
If the weather lasts, I think batting first will have an advantage. Edge pitches are generally quite good. If it had some speed, it would make for an exhilarating cricket, but for that, live grass would have to pat its head slightly above the surface. Given the tendency to spin on Test pitches, however, Ashwin is probably the one who carries the keys to the game in his pocket; Or the charismatic left-arm spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.
What we do know is that New Zealand have a great chance at neutral ground. Note the shoddy treatment of New Zealand cricketers on July 14, 2019 at Lord's and by the gods of the World Cup final. If the same gods are on duty at the Ageas Bowl, one cannot imagine them being so ruthless again.
If New Zealand had to rise, Williamson could think of dedicating the win to Martin Crowe, whose love of Test cricket and the technique that would make a Test match man came from within his soul. Martin first spoke of the need for a Test match championship 25 years ago, when we were plotting Cricket Max, his short-form brainchild. How he would like to be on the south coast of England this Friday morning.