At A Crossroads

Indian Batsmen Look To Erase Leeds Memories With Strong Turnaround At Oval As Fourth Test Begins Today

- Partha Bhaduri

Do truly great Test teams ride disorienting roller-coaster waves, from shattering lows to stratospheric highs like this Indian team has done over the past year and a half ? Can legacy be built on dodgy batting form? Is obstinacy a virtue in times of crises? These are the questions an inconsistent India must answer as they find themselves at the crossroads ahead of the fourth Test against England at the Oval.

Lose again now and the Melbourne heroics which followed the Leeds-like debacle in Adelaide last year will appear an aberration. Much of India’s recent “cornered tigers” reputation stems from that Melbourne win, a Test in which Virat Kohli did not lead. Lose now and the Lord’s win which preceded the forgettable Leeds outing will be distant memory.

Chase a win and risk punting again on a sorely inconsistent but experienced middle order. Maybe even repeat the four-pacer trick, except some lead pacers may be tiring. Chase safety and risk damaging this zealously built image of India playing “aggressive cricket” always and never taking a backward step.

“We like to be in this situation where people start coming at us with doubts and really start questioning the ability of our team. This is the situation we love best. The guys in the change room are hurt and when they are hurt, they badly want to correct things.” These were Kohli’s words after India’s innings and 76 runs defeat in Leeds. It reinforces a rather unusual image of India playing their best cricket only when they have to silence their critics.