Had India, who’ve now won just one of their last 18 Tests on foreign soil, been offered the chance to arrive at The Oval 2-1 down with one to play in this five-match series before their tour started, they might have taken up the offer.
A tightly-packed schedule of five Tests in the space of 42 days has done India few favours as they head to south London for the start of the series finale on Friday. Just a few weeks ago, India beat England by 95 runs in the second Test at Lord’s to go 1-0 up in the series.
But that success was sealed by fast bowler Ishant Sharma exploiting England’s vulnerability against the short ball with a Test-best return of seven for 74.
Alastair Cook’s men still have problems to address as well as their bouncer issues, particularly the extent of the gap between the threat of the new-ball pairing of Broad and James Anderson and back-up seamers Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan.
Anderson now needs just eight wickets to surpass Ian Botham’s England Test record of 383 and Broad, who could play in a face mask, will be keen to follow up his man-of-the-match effort in taking six for 25 in India’s first innings in Manchester.
If Broad is not fit, or England decide to drop either Woakes or Jordan, then rejuvenated Middlesex fast bowler Steven Finn is waiting in the wings.
That England now have to worry about complacency is a welcome change.
