Indian batting line-up justified their reputation in consistently putting up some ridiculous show as they got bundled out twice by the English bowlers within three days at Old Trafford in Manchester. India lost the match by an innings and 54 runs and that too, on a pitch which had a lot to offer for disciplined batting.
After getting all out with 50 overs on the first day, India once again got out within 50 overs. And this time it was in 43 overs- 5 less than that of the first innings. If the Indian batsmen failed to handle the swing bowling of Stuart Broad and James Anderson in the first innings, then it was Moeen Ali who gave India a torrid time in the second innings. India’s vulnerability against spin has suddenly come to the fore creating doubts regarding the technique of the Indian batsmen who have grown up playing in the turning and bouncing pitches. Moeen Ali can never be regarded as someone who is very dangerous with the ball; still the Indians are showing too much respect to him that eventually letting them to the downfall. India did not have to face Stuart Broad in the second innings and even then the Indians could not reach up to the 200-run mark.
For India Ravichandran Ashwin was the top scorer with an unbeaten 46 with Dhoni following him up with yet another gritty 26. Virat Kohli, it seems, has become Anderson’s bunny. He has got out to him for 4 times in this series and this time also there was no exception in the process of his dismissal. India got bundled out for 161, 9 more than what India had managed in the first innings.
Earlier in the day England finished their first innings on 367/9 with a lead of 215 runs over the visitors. Stuart Broad got retired hurt and later he did not even come on to bowl during India’s second innings. Jos Buttler scored yet another half century, his second in as many matches. Pankaj Singh got his maiden test wicket when he had Joe Root caught behind. He picked up Jos 
Buttler later on. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar was yet again India’s best bowler as he picked up 3 wickets giving away only 75 runs. Varun Aaron also picked up 3 wickets but gave away as many as 97 runs. Ashwin went wicket-less while Ravindra Jadeja got the wicket of James Anderson.
To get back into the series India really need to think seriously about the batting. Indian bowlers have bowled fairly enough and it is the absence of Ishant Sharma which has hurt India very badly. If Ishant gets fit before the beginning of the fifth and the final test, Indian bowling attack will get the much needed experience that will help them to perform better. But the real area of concern still remains to be the batting. Kohli and Pujara once again misfired. Especially Virat Kohli has never got going in this series. He really needs to pull up his socks and do something different in the next match to prevent India from losing yet another test match series away from home, that again after having taken a 1-0 lead.
Tags: India vs England Manchester Test
