Cricket luminary Sunil Gavaskar issued a cautionary note to the Indian national cricket team, advising against underestimating the significance of the fifth and final Test match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. Writing in his column for MidDay, Gavaskar acknowledged the familiarity England might feel with the conditions in Himachal Pradesh.
“With just one Test match left in the series and that too in weather conditions more English than Indian, the visitors should feel a lot at home. The ball should swing a lot more in the air, but whether it will also seam off the pitch remains to be seen,” observed Sunil Gavaskar.
India has already secured an unassailable 3-1 lead by clinching the fourth test with a five-wicket victory. While England claimed victory in the opening test in Hyderabad by 28 runs, India responded with wins in Visakhapatnam by 106 runs and in Rajkot by 434 runs.
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The triumph in the fourth Test marked India’s 17th consecutive Test series win at home, maintaining an unbeaten streak since their defeat to Alastair Cook-led England in 2012.
For England, who showed competitiveness and entertainment in Visakhapatnam and Ranchi, this series defeat under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum is their first. Despite the series outcome being determined, India and England still have 12 World Test Championship (WTC) points up for grabs in Dharamsala, commencing on March 7.
“There’s a school of thought that thinks that with the series decided, the Indians may ease up a bit, but they forget that even a dead rubber match carries points for winning and all those matter when it comes to qualifying for the World Test Championship final,” reminded Sunil Gavaskar.
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“So, there’s no chance of the Indian team taking it easy. Sure, the pressure will be just that little bit less since the series is already won, but there are places to secure and add to individual aggregates too,” he emphasized.
