Analysis of the second test win

[urbestfriend]

As the saying goes, to win a Test match, you need to get a lot of things right. India certainly did that in this game, especially when compared to the first Test. Credit must also go to the coaching staff—often blamed when things go wrong, yet rarely acknowledged when the team gets it right.

 

For once, playing an extra batter made perfect sense. While NKR didn’t contribute much, the move paid off when India found themselves at 200 for 5. The crucial partnerships—Gill with Jadeja (200+) and with Sundar (100+)—rescued the innings. Imagine if we'd collapsed like in the previous Test, where five wickets were down for under 50.

 

Fielding was significantly improved too. Jaiswal was moved out of the slip cordon, and KL, Nair, and Gill held on to their chances, showing much better hands.

 

The new ball bowling was also much sharper. The bowlers stuck to disciplined lines and lengths, resisting the temptation to try too much—something that cost us in the first Test.

 

And finally, the timing of the declaration was spot on. The late declaration forced the English batters to grind under the sun, both physically and mentally. No surprise we snatched 3 quick wickets for just 25 runs.

 

Edited July 6, 2025 by Lord

[Lord]

Match turned from 211/5. Looked like we could get all out before 300.Extra batting depth worked in our favour.

 

Akash really stepped up on a flat deck