Told you so...

Day two of the third Test match between Indian and England is almost over, and things have gone exactly as I had expected. The euphoria of the Lords win has faded as a few things have gone right for England here and some of their off form players have struck form.

India are exactly one batting collapse away from losing their 1-0 advantage in the series.

Cook and Bell have too much pedigree to keep getting out for low scores, and the addition of Jos Buttler has made a big difference to England. My hope is that the young Indian batting line up will rise to the challenge. Like Cook and Bell, Kohli and Dhawan are due for big scores, and one of them will probably deliver in this innings.

The point I have been making is that India are a mediocre Test side overseas, and they will continue to be mediocre unless they can get a pair of consistent wicket taking fast bowlers. And I mean FAST bowlers. Pankaj Singh looks like he is 6'5" tall and could knock a few people over with pace, but the speed gun shows him bowling at no more than 130 kmph. We need a few guys bowling at 147+.

I hope India can go to Manchester 1-0 up, but suspect that they will go there 1-1.

There we go overboard again

"The Lords win is a turning point for Indian cricket" proclaimed one established cricket pundit. Another Indian ex-captain rejoiced in the fact that "now India can bounce out the opposition as well".

These guys made it sound like India have begun to beat good teams, consistently, and that they now have one of the most feared pace attacks in the world. Unfortunately nothing of that sort has happened, and these pronouncements are the usual sign of folks going overboard when India posts an unlikely win.

Such sentiment would make sense if India win the current series 3-0 or even 3-1, and do it with an effective fast bowling attack. History suggests that is not going to happen.What is more likely is that India will go down in the third Test match, and then either lose or draw the series from there.

This is not the first time India have gone up early in an overseas Test series. It has happened in even in Australia and South Africa in the not too distant past. However, the team has struggled to close the deal and win the series, primarily because of our batsmen's inability to handle the moving ball, and our bowlers' inability to be penetrative in difficult conditions. Unfortunately nothing has changed to suggest that things will be any different this time.

India did not run England into the ground in the Lords Test. The match turned on a couple of little things, like the two lower order Indian partnerships on day one, helped largely by some very poor bowling from England, and some spineless middle order batting by England in both innings. England will bowl better from here on. If Broad and Anderson pick up their bowling, and one of the key English batsmen like Cook or Bell strike form, the tone of this series will change. Jos Butler coming in for Matt Prior can only help.

India did well to win a tight Test match. I hope they find a way to beat England again, and then win consistently overseas. However on current evidence all they have done is beat a mediocre and jaded side in ONE Test match. Let us hold our horses, and stay away from euphoric pronouncements for a little bit longer. We may be in for a pleasant surprise, but past history suggests otherwise.

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