‘NEW ENGLAND’ BREAK NEW GROUND

Root, Bairstow Slam Unbeaten Hundreds As Hosts Chase Down 378 In 76.4 Overs To Level Series 2-2

- Nitin Naik

“Sometimes teams will be better than us, but no one will be braver than us,” proclaimed England skipper Ben Stokes at the presentation after high quality, unbeaten hundreds from Jonny Bairstow (114*; 145 balls, 15x4, 1x6) and Joe Root (142*; 173 balls, 19x4, 1x6) and their unbroken partnership of 269 in just 52.3 overs helped England chase down the highest ever fourth-innings total on English soil on a heady Day Five in Birmingham on Tuesday. The result denied India a series win, that looked possible at the end of Day Three when they were 257 ahead with seven wickets left and had clinched seven sessions out of the nine played.

That happened because England were both “braver” and “better” than India, especially on the last two days. And they had two in-form, class batsmen, who, armed with clarity in the dressing room, were prepared to play their strokes, which negated a quality seam attack.

Bairstow, who scored his second hundred of the match and his sixth in his last eight, having scored only six in the previous 79, was named man of the match. Root, England’s talisman and perhaps the best batter in the world now, took home the man-of-the -series honours with 737 runs and four hundreds at a stunning average of 105.28. His nine Test tons are the most that any player has scored against India. Stand-in India skipper Jasprit Bumrah was named India’s player of the series for his 23 wickets.