India defeated England in the penultimate Test match of the series at Ranchi, halting England’s test series winning streak and also earning praise from former England cricketer Nasser Hussain.
This victory marked India’s 17th consecutive Test series win where Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill played crucial roles with outstanding knocks on the third day of the fourth Test, guiding India to victory. As England suffered their first Test series loss under the captaincy of Ben Stokes, Nasser Hussain, a former England cricketer, shared his thoughts on England’s defeat and India’s remarkable fight.
In a column for Sky Sports, Hussain wrote, “India deserve credit for the way they’ve played throughout the series, they have been without some star names… Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah in this one, Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul for most of the series and Rishabh Pant.”
“You have to give credit to India, not only for the skill they have, but the mental toughness to have another home series win. Their record at home is phenomenal, so there’s no shame in England losing to this Indian side”, he added.
The former England captain also acknowledged the outstanding performances from the Indian side, stating, “Shubman Gill showed his class and his calmness, while Dhruv Jurel has just been a revelation in the two games he has played both as a keeper and also with the bat.”
While criticizing England’s performance, Hussain further recognized their efforts, as he wrote, “It was another excellent Test match in an excellent Test series. England was really good today and they put up as much of a fight as they could. But obviously like with any Test series and any Test match you look at key areas where you let the game slip.”
However, Hussain was ultimately impressed by England’s new star bowler, Shoaib Bashir, who he believes “has got that capability of deceiving batters before it actually lands, so that’s going to be a useful asset in England.”
The series concluded with an absolute showdown, showcasing rising talents like Jurel, Gill, and Shoaib Bashir. The fourth match’s play saw a rapid pace, with wickets falling quickly at both ends, leading to an early finish. Chasing a target of 192 on the fourth day, India successfully bagged it to secure a 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
Last Updated on February 27, 2024
