Hyderabad set for a Surprise?

Imagine not what might happen, but what could happen

    The theory and conjecture about why the imminent Test series between India and England will be so compelling is almost as compelling as the series itself - might be. At the heart of it lies the realisation, still subconscious at this stage amongst many, that the Test matches will still be entertaining even if the series is dramatically one-sided. ‘Dead’ matches might be the best of all as long as England are playing.

That wasn’t always the way. Actually, that may never have been the way before now. For over half a century ‘knuckle-down’ conservatism was the approach to Indian tours before the first Test, and if that was lost then the approach was ‘double-down’ of the first strategy. If the series was lost it was triple-down.

    Virender Sehwag changed everything about playing Test cricket in India. He still isn’t given enough credit for his genius. He scored almost 300 in a day against South Africa in Chennai in 2008 and still has the highest strike rate for Test openers in history.

    If anybody is wondering how ‘Bazball’ might be successful in India, then stop imagining R.Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja and Axar Patel (and Kuldeep Yadav) bowling against groping England batsmen on a ripping, day-four pitch when they’re trying to save the game. By then it’s too late.

Imagine Ben Duckett scoring a century before lunch on the first day, the man with the lowest ‘leave’ rate in the history of openers. Sehwag left more balls than Duckett. Zak Crawley will nick lots to slip and get caught at cover a few times but, what if he delivers not one but two of his monster, Test-winning innings?

    Joe Root scored 218 in the first Test of the last series England played in India and it played the platform for an easily forgotten victory, given that England were belted 3-1. What if he does something similar, two or three times. What then? It’s one thing for India’s batsmen to dominate England’s out-skilled spinners batting first, but what if they’re climbing a mountain of runs?

“When we set out on this journey,” said Brendon McCullum on Monday, referring to the start of his partnership with Ben Stokes two years ago rather than this tour, “we wanted to make Test cricket exciting again, and for people to want to watch it. We wanted the players to believe that anything was possible, that they could do whatever they set their minds to.” That mission has been accomplished.

    In years gone by, in the 1990s for example, the prospect of watching or covering five England Tests in India would have been excruciating, other than for those who are excruciating or enjoy the feeling. These days, Goliath is worrying about what David has in his slingshot. It’s all very exciting.

Rahul Dravid might the calmest, least demonstrative man in international cricket. Gives nothing (bad) away – just his honesty, knowledge and sincerity. But today he strode, make that ‘strolled purposefully’, out to meet the groundstaff an hour after India’s practise session had ended. The pitch (that’s me pointing at it) did not look anything like expected 48 hours before the start on Thursday. It had some grass on it. It wasn’t deviously cracked.

    Curators and their groundstaff are ignored and unappreciated for months at a time, even years. Then, suddenly, when the circus rolls into town, they’re expected to perform tricks for the Emperor. Often in the past, they have refused. The pitch is their ‘baby’ and the Test match is part of their legacy. I’ve heard curators around the world say: ‘sod it, I’m not compromising my work and reputation.’ They don’t get paid bonuses for a helpful surface to the home side, remember.

    Anyway, the first Test at the Rajiv Ghandhi Stadium might not go completely according to predictions. Just saying.    

(Finally, the street cow above was eating piles of left-over coriander. I’m so curious about the taste of the milk I intend to track her down tomorrow to ask for a taste.)