Boria Majumdar at the Oval
Test cricket is defined by fight. The same can be said of India at the Oval. A kind of dogged determination that lights up a series and lives in fan memory for years on end. The tail, for example, wasn’t doing much and it was hurting India. With the English lower-order looking strong, the contribution from the middle and lower middle-order had assumed enormous significance.
That’s what we finally got with Akash Deep. He had come in as night-watchman to protect Shubman Gill and not even the most ardent Indian fan had expected much this morning. What we got was something fantastic. Resistance and determined resistance. Not willing to give up and each time there was a loose ball on offer, going after it with intent. This is a series defining innings and could well have set it up for India.
When India were batting on post tea on Day 2, there were a lot of murmurs going around. Can the batters stand up and get India a lead of 250-plus? How much of a lead is enough? Is there enough time for India’s bowlers to bowl England out in the second innings, with some weather around? Are the bowlers good enough to orchestrate another English collapse?
For all this to happen India needed runs. And in numbers. That’s what Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash managed this morning. Akash was the principal scorer. He is the story. Of grit and composure. And the fifty came up in style. A four and then the pump of the fist. He knows how important this is. His team knows as well. They were in the balcony and celebrating, for they are aware the game is closing in on England. If India bat the day, it would be their game to lose from there on. And if that happens, this knock from Akash would be worth its weight in gold.
The half-century was a picture postcard moment for Akash. He patted himself on the chest and seemed all pumped up. While the match isn’t over yet, the truth is India will now fancy a win from here on.
For the moment, though, we keep thinking what next here at the Oval? And nothing further will amaze us anymore!
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