Former England pacer Dominic Cork has heaped praises on England for bouncing back in the Test series against India by winning the Headingley Test. England won the third Test by an innings and 76 runs and levelled the series 1-1 with two Tests to be played.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli were overnight batsmen
England were on top of the game since day one after they dismissed India for 78 runs in the first innings.
India were 215/2 going into day four but lost the last eight wickets for 63 runs within the first session.
“England bowlers know these conditions, know this ground and understand that 4th-5th stump line that makes batsmen play at times. They also bowl slightly wide of the crease and create an angle. They make it look like you have got to play at the balls and they were also a little bit fuller,” said Cork said on air after the match.
“The Indian bowlers, their lengths were not the same as their English counterparts. England constantly swung the ball… Virat Kohli said at the presentation that England bowlers didn’t let them off the hook at any stage, they put them under pressure and didn’t allow easy runs.”
After dismissing India, England openers provided with a good start before Joe Root notched up yet another Test century in 2021. England finished at 432 and had a 354-run lead at the halfway mark of the Test.
Cork believes the series is nicely set up and far from over with two Test matches are yet to be played.
“Test cricket is hard enough when you are trying to get a total but when the opposition are not giving away easy runs… I think it was the pressure, the conditions helped England in the morning, they swung the ball put India under pressure took the wickets. And if you look at the way England batted, this is the first time the top-4 have got fifties since 2013,” added Cork.
Ollie Robinson grabbed a fifer in the second innings
“So that shows the improvement in England’s top-4 and also Joe Root is in the form of his life, put that all together and I think ultimately England outplayed India. But this series is not dead and buried. We go to The Oval, flatter pitch, 2 matches to go… I don’t think anybody can predict the results.”
The fourth Test will be played at The Oval in London from September 2.
