Ind Eng Test 4 Preview: England Look for 4-0 at Oval; India for Lost Pride

Even as the issue of Anna Hazare and the corruption of the Indian government occupies centre headlines in India, the Indian cricket team still have a job to do in far away UK even as England are in mood to let up ahead of the fourth Test of the India England series at the Oval.

England cricket team

The fourth and final Test of the series holds little by way of deciding the series or even the no.1 Test status. But sealing a 3-0 series victory in the course of the third Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, England had already cornered the no.1 Test team rank. Therefore, the result of the fourth Test will have little bearing on the fate of the series or that of the ICC Test rankings.

With little left for England to achieve in terms of the series, no one would really blame them taking it easy. Conversely, there will be few expectations from the Indian cricket team whose performance has been woeful at best and it will make little difference if India do not change the pattern that has led them to this shameful situation over the past three weeks.

However, India are the deposed no.1 Test team and it would have hurt them as well as anyone who wishes India well. Having said that, the Indian cricket team that has landed in England has hardly seemed the same confident team that rode the high for almost two years. In that sense, if India could not lift themselves after defeat after defeat, their deflated situation hardly gives them reason to rise and bother for the final Test of no consequence. Other than pride of course. This is India’s final opportunity in the Test series to show that though they may have lost three Tests in terribly humiliating fashion, their team still holds the mettle that made them no.1 prior to this tour.

For England though, the high of achievement has only spurred them to go all out in handing India the ultimate ignominy – of a 4-0 Test series whitewash. Having won three Tests against India on the trot in remarkable fashion, England are unwilling to concede any opportunity for India to restore pride. And it has to be said, judging by this series alone that despite the question marks over whether James Anderson is fit for the fourth Test or not, England have enough in their armour to put it past deflated India unless the visitors can dig deep within and find the strength and defiance that made them a force to reckon with for twenty months.

For England it would be topping on the cake to add a 4-0 whitewash to the series victory and cornering the no.1 Test rank and in that, they will go all out in confidence with their team performing as one even within individual brilliance. Contrast this with the Indian cricket team and it is obvious that individual cricketers have struggled to come to terms with the demands, thereby leaving the team less cohesive and showing the cracks that come through only to be exploited by a team that is supremely prime for the assignment.Failing in all departments consistently was like never giving India a chance to stand in dignity, leave alone snatch a win.

For England thus far, India have been easy pickings and it is not a nice thing to say about a team that has dominated the Test rankings, even without a degree of comfort of distance from the second best team. However, for India the task is micro as it is macro. As a team, India need to grab the initiative and for that individual resolve has to come through. That though has been easier said than done in India’s case which is why it is harder to believe in England’s confidence of a 4-0 victory rather than India’s words of making a fighting case for themselves. At best, India can make a couple of experimental changes and see if that can change the body language.