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Team India Report Card of 1st Test at Chennai: Ashwin stands tall amidst ruins
India will have a chance to redeem themselves at the same venue starting February 13 when the second Test begins, for now lets take a look at our report card of the XI Indians in the first outing.
The joy of the English players on the final day of the 1st Test, when Jos Buttler managed to catch the edge off Ravichandran Ashwin's bat, wasn't unusual. They knew a momentous victory was now not just in sight but on the plate. Virat Kohli was still batting at the other end, but it was Ashwin's dismissal for 9 that gave England the confidence. After all, the Chennai wizard had stood like a rock along with the injured Hanuma Vihari when India managed a great escape at Sydney last month. And it was Ashwin, who produced the only performance of note with the ball for India through the match, picking up 6 in England's second innings, not to mention his battling 31 in the first essay here in Chennai too.
As the English had hoped, Stokes soon removed Kohli and the curtains came down on India's 22-year unbeaten run at the Chepauk. It wasn't as formidable a fortress as the 'Gabbatoir' for the Aussies as India had played far less number of matches at the venue, but an unbeaten record of 8 matches was over.
India will have a chance to redeem themselves at the same venue starting February 13 when the second Test begins, for now lets take a look at our report card of the XI Indians in the first outing.
Rohit Sharma: 1/10 - Very Poor
One can argue that the Indian openers were tired when they came out to bat in the first innings after being in the field for so long and then had to bat on a deteriorating surface in the fourth innings, but Rohit Sharma's lack of application shows just why he has not succeeded in Test cricket. A hanging bat outside the off stump is what Archer was looking for in the first innings and Rohit just gave him that. Leach bowled a beauty to him in the second innings but when a batsman goes for the forward defence, he is expected to know where his off stump is. Rohit didn't and he paid. His fielding was poor too. India needs big runs from Rohit's bat in the remaining matches, especially because the middle order looks shaky.
Shubman Gill: 6/10 - Above Average
Gill was India's standout batsman in the match despite making only 29 and 50 in the two innings. We say that because he looked the only batsman in supremely rich vein of form. The first innings dismissal was a soft one but Gill needs to check his attacking instincts in the longer format. In the second innings the youngster was done in by an Anderson jaffa. Everyone has high hopes from him and Gill is now due for his maiden Test ton.
Cheteshwar Pujara: 6/10 - Above Average
Yes, he was unlucky in the first innings in the way he was dismissed and in the second innings the pitch and Leach got the better of him but he is India's only true blue Test batsman and Pujara needs a big century now, more than ever. He is doing the tough job of binding the innings together but no century since 2019 January is a sign of peril for India.
Virat Kohli: 5/10 - Average
He looked rusty in the first innings, coming off a break from international cricket. But the Indian captain more than made up with a show of determination in the second innings. Kohli knows he needs to score big for India and the second innings display will go a long way in putting him back in the zone. His captaincy looked reactionary in the first innings when England dominated, but he was let down by the inexperienced spin duo. Must bear the cross for the selection blunder of not picking Kuldeep Yadav.
Ajinkya Rahane: 0 - Very Poor
The old adage of cricket being a great leveller, just like life, came back to haunt Rahane. Just days after guiding India to one of their finest victory on foreign soil, Rahane contributed 1 & 0 in the two innings at Chennai. But this is not a one off. His form in India had been patchy for long until he made a strong comeback in 2019 against South Africa and Bangladesh. India desperately need some consistency from him at the crucial number 5 spot.
Rishabh Pant: 5/10 - Average
Rishabh Pant scored a belligerent 91 in the first innings and a lot of it was possible because the team management gave him the 'licence to kill'. It looks good for a while but when the same license is used to commit 'hara-kiri' it comes off as a dumb stunt. Pant is young and not a polished product by any means, but the years of international cricket, IPL and age-group cricket should have by now given him some cricketing sense. The fact that Washington Sundar batted on till the end of the innings in India's first essay makes his dismissal and the shot that he played to get out look ugly. The less we talk about his wicket-keeping the better it is.
Ravichandran Ashwin: 8/10 - Very Good
No one missed Ravindra Jadeja more than Ashwin in this match. As he showed in the second innings, Ashwin is a predator when there is some assistance available from the track. But when the ball isn't doing much and the pitch is acting docile, Ashwin needs support from the other end and it often comes in India from the immaculately accurate Jadeja. Something that wasn't available. Scored an important 31 in the first innings and tried his best in the second. Ashwin will hold the key for India if they are to bounce back from this defeat.
Washington Sundar: 5/10 - Average
The youngster was ineffective with the ball but he contributed well with the bat in the first innings. His unbeaten 85 was a lesson for his more distinguished colleagues on how to apply yourself on a pitch that was deteriorating. But his bowling left a lot to be desired. Needs to find his line and rhythm soon and has to work on his repertoire and variety with the red cherry.
Shahbaz Nadeem: 4/10 - Below Average
Nadeem was picked over Kuldeep and he had a great opportunity to create some selection headache for the team management but he came up short on expectations. Got the key wickets of Root and Stokes in the first innings but it came after the damage was done. He was inconsistent in his length and line and never managed to create any pressure on the England batsmen. Will be difficult for him to get a game in the series now, unless the others perform even worse.
Jasprit Bumrah: 5/10 - Average
Kapil Dev might have taken a lot of Test matches to break the then world record of Richard Hadlee. But he is still considered the best fast bowler India has produced because of his persistence on dead tracks in India for more than a decade. Bumrah found out what it was to be Kapil Dev or even Javagal Srinath, when he played his maiden Test on home soil in Chennai. He did well to pick 3 first innings wickets, but he wasn't sharp enough to create problems for Root and Sibley. Will be interesting to see whether he will be rested in the second Test or given another go.
Ishant Sharma: 6/10 - Above Average
The latest entrant in the 300 wickets club was the only bowler who consistently troubled Joe Root in the first innings. Ishant picked up only two wickets in the first innings but his consistency came through. He was miserly and didn't give an inch to the opposition. India would hope he picks more wickets in the remaining Test matches.
