5th Test, Preview: India go into the fifth Test aiming to level the series by Andy Jalil

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Scorecard:	England v India
Event:	India in England 2014

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DateLine: 14th August 2014

 

By Andy Jalil at Kia Oval In association with INVESTEC

 

Andy Jalil at Kia Oval In association with INVESTEC cricketarchive.com, pcboard.com.pk © Andy Jalil

 

London – India will need to win the final Test to square the five-Test Investec series, being 2-1 down after their most inept performance in the last two Tests. Having lost the third by an innings and the fourth ignominiously within three days, it will take a most determined effort from India this time.

 

There is enormous interest in this Test with the result of the series still open and the first three days have been totally sold out. While England are likely to field the same side as in the previous Test, India will wait for a fitness report this morning on pace bowler Ishant Sharma. If fit, he will replace Pankaj Singh. The batsmen are expected to keep their place despite some having failed to put enough runs on the board in the previous Test.

 

India captain, MS Dhoni said: “It is important to credit their (England) bowlers who have bowled so well at the same time it is important to look ahead, we didn’t do well in the last to Tests but we have to give credit to England.”

 

Asked about motivation for the team with the Test starting on India’s Independence Day, Dhoni said: “When you are representing your country it is a big enough motivation, it doesn’t have to be the Independence Day to motivate us, we won’t want to think of anything else apart from the Test match. It’s a big day (Independence Day) a very important day for us at the same time it’s the start of the Test match and we want to be thinking about the Test more than anything else.”

 

Talking about the process or strategy, Dhoni said: “We all know if we win this Test what impact it will have on the series. We will take it in small sessions, if we win more sessions than the opposition we end up winning the match so that is the priority for us.”

 

On his own batting form Dhoni said: “I have been working on it for quite sometime, the only problem that I was really facing was that what I was able to do in the nets I was not able to convert or take it into the game. That’s a big step that you have to take, I batted well in the last game if I can carry that forward into this game I would be really happy.”

 

England have gained momentum and are full of confidence after their convincing victories in the previous two Tests. Their most successful bowler James Anderson needs eight wickets to go past the 383 wickets that Ian Botham took to be the highest Test wicket taker for England. Captain Alastair Cook described him as the “most skilful bowler in the world.”

 

Cook, who needs only a draw to win the series said: “We are going into the Test with any other mind-set but as a game to win. We have to have that mind-set we had after Lord’s (second Test) when it was doom and gloom, we didn’t play very well and then came out fighting when we really needed it. But just because we have now won a couple of games we can’t relax. We have got to be tough on ourselves and earn the right to put in a good performance and that’s what we have to do.”

 

Cook added: “The guys can take a lot of credit the way they have turned it round (from being a Test down) and at the end of the week with the trophy it would be brilliant. It would be such a great way to end. It would mean a lot to this side, two weeks ago a few of the guys hadn’t won a Test match, so to win their Test series against an Indian side would mean a lot.”

 

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2014 Andy Jalil)