Check out our hospitality packages for the reverse summer series – England v India
India v England
After a thrilling start to the 4 match test series for England, the series unfortunately finished 3-1 to India who came back spectacularly! It was a bowler’s dream throughout as the pink ball and incredibly tricky pitch conditions made the international stars on show look very amateur. The conditions have caused a heated debate for cricket experts and fans to explore, as the game fell away from being a tactical, traditional test match to a bowling shoot-out.
In the first match England, driven by their bowling attack on the final day have won by 227 runs in Chennai, only the second home defeat for India in 8 years in test cricket. Yet India have fought straight back with a comfortable victory as all 10 wickets of England were taken by the impressive Indian spinners.
In the 1st test Root’s double century in the opening innings gave England a hugely impressive start, as 578 runs was the target for India to catch. India managed 337 in their opening innings, giving England the chance to force the follow on, but their decision to add a few more runs on the board has proven to be the right thing to do.
To win, India needed a world record beating 420 runs to overturn the result and would have been happy to see the game out as a draw. But Anderson’s (3-17) destructive reverse swing and Leach’s (4-76) impressive spin bowling took the game away from India. Ben Stokes got the key wicket of Kohli who on 72 runs was starting to impose his natural game on home soil and Jofra Archer sealed the victory around half an hour before tea.
An outstanding, unexpected victory to kick of the series as India were strong favourites to win this at home. England need a 3-1 or 4-0 victory to find themselves competing in the World Test Championship and I wouldn’t put it past this incredible England team.
Unfortunately they can’t win 4-0 as India dominated the second test, batting first to secure a huge lead before bowling out England for less than 200 and ultimately cruising through this match.
Sri Lanka v England
This is the perfect time for the England Test Cricket team to be flexing their muscles. A significant test series win in Sri Lanka has set the tone for the busiest year to date for the International team. England’s Test, ODI and IT20 cricket players will be involved in over 40 fixtures this year depending on how far they progress in the IT20 Cricket World Cup in India. With Test series home and away against India and then the Ashes down under in Australia this squad will be pushed right to their bio secure limits. Consistency of performance throughout the next 12 months will be imperative. So to begin in Sri Lanka with 2 wins and in conditions that were pretty alien to some of the England batsmen is the perfect start to 2021.
The significance of an in form Joe Root
The England Test Cricket team over the last decade has typically relied on 4 players. The runs of Joe Root and Alistair Cook and the wickets of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. With the recent retirement of Cook the team has looked more and more reliant on Root and invariably when Root has scored big then England have gone on to win the Test. Obviously there are some exceptions to this, in recent years Ben Stoked has been winning games for the England Test Cricket team however I feel these are the exceptions that prove the rule.
It has been well documented that Root has been struggling to convert from his starts and has regularly been out between 50 and 100 hes currently sitting on a 30% conversion. Compared to Virat Kholi, Steve Smith or Kane Williamson he is well behind and those are the players England will be coming up against this year. So it will be seen as a huge positive and a significant step in the right direction for Root and England if he can make big scores of 150 or 200 + like he did in Sri Lanka.
James Anderson & Stuart Broad at their best
Anderson and Broad who have been seen by some as bowlers who can only turn it on in England proved how valuable they will be this year with wickets, as well as their experience. Their combined figures in Sri Lanka were 57 overs 80 runs 9 wickets. Absolutely unbelievable effort in the conditions. The pair will be rotated to ensure they both remain fit for the full year (I will come back to this later) and I think this is the best policy. The England Test Cricket squad looks far more potent with these two legends spearheading the attack.
Make or break year
This will be a make or break year for Joe Root and this crop of cricketers. So to kick things of in Sri Lanka in such emphatic fashion is a huge positive and a great momentum builder before heading to India.
Do not listen to the nay sayers who will have you believe that a weak Sri Lanka did not pose enough of a test to act as a barometer before there series in India. To win a series 2 nil in Sri Lanka in the heat and humidity of the subcontinent and on pitches taking plenty of spin is always a great achievement. To add to this the England Test cricket team captained by Joe Root have now won 5 successive Test Matches away from home for the first time since World War 1 a feat which will be hallmark of his tenure.
Throughout the series, players and backroom staff (inclusion of Jacques Kallis) have been able to bond and develop a team spirit in Sri Lanka which will be so important in the series’ to come. A togetherness has been a feature within any squad who have gone to India and have been successful. There will be tough times ahead and the bond forged in Sri Lanka might just see them through.
Sri Lanka will be returning to the UK to play in three ODIs and three IT20s in June and July. You can register your interest for these games now and explore the best hospitality package for you.
Squad Rotation:
The two words on every cricket fans lips at the moment are squad & rotation. The England Test management throughout 2021 have adopted a rest and rotation policy to ensure players are able to maintain a level of performance that is required in the Test arena. In no other format as an individual are you and your technique scrutinized as much as it is in Test cricket. In addition to this the players are now having to negotiate stringent Bio-Secure environments. Many would say this is a sensible ploy from the England management as no player can be expected to be at their best throughout a year with so much cricket, thus, rotating the players should in theory allow for them to peak for the key fixtures in 2021.
England have earmarked the IT20 World Cup as the most significant event this year alongside the Ashes. No one has managed to hold both the World Cup and IT20 World Cup simultaneously which is why those players who were involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) have been given time off. Its disappointing not to be able to have England’s best cricket team on the pitch at all times however in this significant year if England walk away with the IT20 World Cup, Ashes and a successful summer because of the policy then it will have been worth the sacrifice.
As I have already touched on this will be a make or break year for Joe Root and the England Test Cricket backroom staff. To come away from this year with a victory in India, Australia and the IT20 World Cup trophy would be what dreams are made of. Plus there is still an opportunity to be involved in the inaugural World Test Championship final at Lord’s. The England Test Cricketers have got off to a great start with a significant win in Sri Lanka but now only time will tell how the rest of the year will pan out.
Venues:
Engage Provide a range of official match day packages throughout England’s Test, ODI and IT20 summer in the UK. To secure your attendance at any of the following venues do not hesitate to get in contact on 0207 048 4875 or Register Your Interest on the specific event page and a member of staff will be in contact ASAP.
The Ageas Bowl Hampshire, The Brightside County Ground Bristol, Headingly Leeds, The Kia Oval London, Lord’s London, Sophia Gardens Cardiff, Trent Bridge Nottingham, Emirates Old Trafford Manchester, The Riverside Durham
England Cricket Fixtures:
New Zealand are first up in a 2 match Test series.
Sri Lanka will be the second touring nation in England’s International cricket summer.
- 1st ODI Tuesday 29 June – Emirates Riverside Durham
- 2nd ODI Thursday 1 July – Kia Oval
- 3rd ODI Sunday 4 July – Bristol County Ground
Pakistan are set to return for a One Day International & T20 series.
- 1st ODI Thursday 8 July – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
- 2nd ODI Saturday 10 July – Lord’s
- 3rd ODI Tuesday 13 July – Edgbaston
- 1st IT20 Friday 16 July – Trent Bridge
- 2nd IT20 Sunday 18 July – Emerald Headingley
- 3rd IT20 Tuesday 20 July – Emirates Old Trafford
India will conclude the Men’s international summer with a 5 Test series.
