Sachin Tendulkar: The Untouchable Feat

As my heartbeat begins to settle down to something resembling its regular rhythm I am eventually able to put in to writing what the cricketing world has witnessed today. Sachin Tendulkar, record breaker extraordinaire and demi-god to over one billion fanatical Indian cricket enthusiasts, became the ultimate centurion.

Tendulkar - Relief personified

One hundred international centuries; catch a breath and take a moment to absorb the magnitude of such a feat. Stupefying, isn’t it?

A shade over one year had elapsed since the ‘Little Master’ was last sighted removing his helmet, looking to the skies in gratitude and basking in the approbation of a doting nation. Today the wait was brought to an end with a clipped single beyond square leg, and as Tendulkar’s bat went up in to the air, so did a collective sigh of relief from all in the cricketing world. After all, had a Tendulkar innings passed by without mention of that Holy Grail ad infinitum?

Pressure has been a steadfast companion of Tendulkar since first making his bow in international cricket at the tender age of 16. The teenager hailing from Bombay entered international cricket amidst great fanfare of a prodigious talent, a messiah of Indian cricket ready to lead the fightback against the dominance of legendary Pakistani seamers Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram between the nations.

It is often said each time Tendulkar strides to the crease that he is “batting for a billion”, and the crushing pressure of such great expectation would have been sufficient to derail most mere mortals. Tendulkar might just be a tenuous descendent of Sir Donald Bradman, though, because he has emulated ‘The Don’ by laughing in the face of mortality, scorning the audacity of its very presence.

The Little Master was but 17 years of age when notching up the first of his century of centuries, and as the legend grew so did the expectation. Time and again he delivered. To the average international cricketer reaching three figures brings a release of pressure; a surety that their place is all but secure and a moment to bask in the ensuing plaudits. Tendulkar, as with many aspects of his career, was an exception to the rule. Century by majestic century only served to increase demand; Tendulkar’s failures have forever been more than just a personal chagrin. They have failed an adoring nation, too.

Cricket has never bore witness to as complete a batsman as Tendulkar, perhaps the peerless Bradman aside. If the rare ability to play every stroke in the manual with efficient aplomb, maintain perfect poise and balance at the crease and seamlessly switch between defence and attack has been the supercharged engine powering this inexorable run machine, the mind behind the diminutive batsman has undoubtedly provided the steering. Experts will often champion the importance of a clear mind when looking to score runs, and that Tendulkar has been able to do so despite such tribulations makes the man - and this extraordinary feat - all the more remarkable.

Retirement is looming, whether it be this year or the next for the most ruthless run scorer in the long history of cricket, and when that day comes many more eulogies will no doubt be lavished upon this most magnificent of careers. For now we should concentrate on a feat that, in my view, will echo through the ages every bit as much as Bradman’s 99.94, and for once load all of the plaudits that we can muster on to those little shoulders that have been carrying the weight of the world for the past twelve months, and the weight of India for so much longer.

Congratulations, Sachin, and may there be many more.

India: Best in all Formats by 2016?

Browsing various cricketing websites and forums, an almost religious tendency of mine during any given day, I get the distinct impression that many Indian pundits and fans alike are a little ‘doom and gloom’, shall we say, concerning the future prospects of their side in Test cricket. Indeed, some maverick heathens have even gone so far as to suggest that India should treat the game’s longest format as somewhat of a sideshow to high octane limited overs competitions.

As reigning One Day International world champions, and with the ever burgeoning success of the Indian Premier League seemingly gaining precedence amongst a number of supporters, players and of course the money men, the question of whether India are going to be sufficiently equipped to compete in Test cricket in the long-term is a valid one.

Naturally, with the recent retirement of Test batting stalwart Rahul Dravid, and the looming departure of fellow living legends Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, there is every reason for concern amongst the Indian cricketing fraternity. Augment that with recent Test performances packing all the punch of an alcohol free cocktail in a straitjacket and one could be excused in forecasting a rather bleak outlook.

Virat Kohli - Budding Superstar

But is the situation really all that dire? In fact, given the wealth of talent consistently performing to remarkable levels in first class cricket, would it be too preposterous of me to suggest that it is well within India's capabilities to become the world’s greatest side in each and every format over the course of the next five years?

Batsmen possessing the unique obdurate technical and mental qualities of the likes of Dravid are born and not made, but within a fanatical cricketing nation whose booming population exceeds one billion the talent pool runs both wide and deep. The conveyor belt of Indian cricket has historically produced exceptionally talented batsmen, and that is one trend at least that appears unremitting. Where Indian cricket aficionados shudder at the very thought of the retirement of their golden generation of batsmen, I would point them in the direction of domestic run-scoring leviathans Ajinkya Rahane, averaging 68.47 in first class cricket, Rohit Sharma (63.52), Manoj Tiwary (61.07) and Cheteshwar Pujara (53.50). After all, a top seven of Gambhir, Rahane, Pujara, Sharma, Kohli, Tiwary and Dhoni possesses a look as formidable as a rampaging Indian elephant commandeered by a tiger blood infused Charlie Sheen, does it not?

The gulf between Test cricket and Indian domestic cricket may be akin to a child’s progression from Subbuteo to playground soccer, but such records are not attained through inconsiderable talent. Of course, other highly talented Indian youngsters, Suresh Raina being a prime example, have come unstuck on quicker overseas decks, but with youth and talent in abundance there remains significant cause for optimism. Batting aside, the fielding standards of the Indian Test team will also undoubtedly be raised by the inauguration of these children of the IPL revolution. Fast bowling, India’s perpetual deficiency, is still very much the quandary.  

Powered by the financial juggernaut that is the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Indian cricket certainly has the wherewithal to address such a problem, and indeed is already showing signs of doing so. Umesh Yadav, a genuinely express bowler capable of reaching speeds of 90mph, garnered some success during India’s recent humbling on Australian soil, despite at times looking as economically sound as a Greek investment banking group. Varun Aaron, another young speedster, has recently been introduced to ODI cricket and looks to be a real find. Add medium pacer Praveen Kumar, a canny swing bowler that stood out for India in the 2011 tour of England in to the equation and India have a perfectly capable battery of seamers to complement promising spin bowlers in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Consistency amongst India’s young seamers remains an issue, but sceptics should remember that the world’s two finest fast bowlers, Dale Steyn and James Anderson, did not find immediate success in their respective Test careers. In Yadav and Aaron in particular therein lies hope that a new breed of Indian fast bowler is arriving on the scene, and that money ploughed in to developing such bowlers by the BCCI is beginning to bear a rather wholesome fruit.

Amongst my suggestions I have of course neglected to mention current Test stars Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan. These two mercurial cricketers still have a significant role to play going forward, despite the advance of years, but if anything their omission here further highlights that India have greater strength in depth than those naysayers would have you believe.

England, South Africa and the re-emerging Australia will no doubt have something to say about India’s chances of ascension to the summit of world cricket, but one key element of my hypothetical Indian line-up is consistency. Those players listed possess the all-round skills required to succeed in each and every format of the game, ultimately creating the possibility of a situation where the Indian Test team mirrors the Indian Twenty20 team. Their adversaries have no such luxury, and it gives India a decided edge.

There are plenty of trials and tribulations ahead for India’s latest crop of hugely exciting youngsters, of that there is no doubt. Batsmen will need to adapt their technique for faster and swinging conditions, as the great Rahul Dravid did before them, and bowlers will need to alter their lines, lengths and variations to suit. India sit on the cusp of seeing another golden generation break through, and their emergence couldn’t be timelier if it’d come disguised as a Rolex watch.

Will they rule the cricketing world within five years? Only father time holds that answer, but contrary to the beliefs of a dispirited nation I for one envisage India being a considerable force for years to come. Like any new relationship, there may be doubts and hiccoughs along the way, but once the dust settles India should be feared once more.

The Wall in England: Five of the Best...

As news broke of his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday, a tide carrying fitting tributes of the masterful heroics of India’s Rahul Dravid swept unabated through the cricketing world. Amongst the flotsam of such a rip-roaring tsunami are boundless statistics that never cease to amaze.  The most Test runs for a number three batsman. More balls faced than any other batsman in the history of Test cricket.  58 per cent of Test centuries scored overseas. These accolades all belong to ‘The Wall’, or should that now be ‘The Great Wall’, of India?

It is difficult to lavish further praise upon Dravid’s career as a whole, so I will attempt to do so from an English perspective, reminiscing of those times that the wall was relocated from its base in Indore and re-constructed in all its glorious defiance on English soil.

The Wall - Impregnable

England has never been the happiest of hunting grounds for India’s batsmen. Indeed, overseas tours in general haven’t. Between 1986 and 2000 India, in 48 attempts, managed just one overseas Test victory. Dravid’s accomplishments appear all the more impressive for this statistic, given that it covered some part of his early career.

The English cricketing fraternity are largely traditionalists, allowing for all the greater appreciation of the stoic qualities oft exhibited once Dravid strode to the crease. The sight of that immovable straight blade is one we have become all too familiar with over the years. Yes, at times it frustrated, but was always atoned for by bringing us Test cricket in its purest sense. Perhaps fittingly, Dravid’s defiant last stand on English soil amidst the most fragile of Indian batting line-ups, combining poise and class with a sturdy resoluteness that only he was capable of in a series in which he averaged 76.83 despite not winning a single Test, has left a lasting memory of just how much Test cricket, and English fans, will miss this king of batsmen.

 Averaging a lofty 68.80 with six Test centuries in England across his career, here are five of Dravid’s best:

5. August 2002, Trent Bridge – 115

Commencing their second innings with a huge deficit of 260, India faced an uphill battle to save the second Test at Nottingham and avoid going 2-0 down in the series. India’s magnificent triumvirate of Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly put together vital middle order partnerships after the early losses of openers Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer, with Dravid alone of the Indian batsmen going on to reach three figures. Made in 244 balls, Dravid’s 115 in the face of high class fast bowling was a masterclass in obdurate defensive batting, allowing India to eventually save the Test.

4. July 2011, Lord’s – 103*

Following England’s impressive first innings total of 474-8 declared, India in reply crumbled to 286 all out. With no other Indian batsman passing 50 Dravid, opening in place of the injured Gautam Gambhir, carried his bat through the entire innings to be left stranded on 103 not out. Showing immense grit and technical skill in the face of high quality swing bowling that was perhaps his career trademark, Dravid frustrated England as his teammates fell around him. A masterclass in every sense of the word, this is a must see innings for any youngster learning how to bat against swing bowling.

3. August 2002, Headingley – 148

India’s imposing first innings total of 628 made a mockery of what were actually testing conditions on the first day of the third Test at Leeds. Described by then England captain Nasser Hussain as one of the finest centuries he had ever seen, Dravid amassed 148 runs as only Dravid could; watching each ball with all the patience of a waiting heron before striking whenever England’s bowlers strayed in to his preferred areas. Shrugging off blows to the chest, shoulder and helmet with barely a flinch, Dravid set the platform from which teammates Tendulkar and Ganguly could unveil their full array of masterful strokeplay against an ailing England attack en route to achieving India’s first overseas innings victory since the late 1970’s.

2. August 2011, The Oval – 146*

With their toothless bowling attack being put to the sword yet again during England’s first innings 591-6 declared, India’s batsmen found themselves staring down that all too familiar barrel. Again, Dravid was the only Indian batsman to pass 50. Opening once more, Dravid carried on where he left off at Lord’s and went unbeaten throughout the innings as his teammates capitulated, displaying those same powers of concentration and infallible technical ability to repel England’s relentless swing attack. Unfurling numerous exquisite drives with typical Dravid grace and poise, this titanic innings makes it in to second place.

1. September 2002, The Oval - 217

The number one spot is reserved for Dravid’s sole double hundred on English soil. Following England’s mammoth first innings total of 515 in which Michael Vaughan made a sublime 195, India had to bat big and bat long to stand any chance of saving the fourth Test and thus the series. Dravid, with the aid of those same old accomplices Tendulkar and Ganguly, did just that. Eclipsing Vaughan’s effort, ‘The Wall’ went on to spend over ten hours at the crease, making 217 in a colossal 468-ball vigil to ensure that India left England with a share of the spoils. Unfurling a mercilessly dead bat, and with barely a false stroke to speak of on a turning pitch, Dravid crawled to a third successive Test century. Frustrating, dull and without ambition; this was the type of innings that Dravid revelled in. Quite simply, he loved batting, loved making the opposition toil, and loved to score runs. Here, he fulfilled those criteria, and in the context of the match it proved the perfect innings. Vintage Dravid, and conclusive evidence that there has rarely been a better batsman for all conditions.

Throughout these five chosen innings Dravid frustrated us like no other, but as connoisseurs of Test cricket we endured it with begrudging admiration.  International cricket will be a lesser place without the eloquence, professionalism, class and sportsmanship exuded in spades by ‘The Wall’, but here in England the memories will endure. There really is, to quote Sachin Tendulkar, only one Rahul Dravid.

Inter-Galactic Test

Observing the recent Test series between Pakistan and England, taking place at Pakistan’s ‘home away from home’ on the slow turning pitches of the United Arab Emirates, highlighted amongst other things that the renascent spin bowling gravy train has resumed its journey after a couple of years in the sidings and is approaching something resembling full speed once more.

Not since Messrs Warne and Muralitharan were relentlessly depressing batsmen’s averages the world over has the spin bowler been such a prominent protagonist in Test cricket. A whole heap of spin induced batting woes in the aforementioned series in particular appeared to be the sum of two parts: the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) and downright poor technique.

Indeed, it could be argued that the inclusion of the UDRS in to Test cricket will in time see a visible change in the way batsmen approach spin bowlers; developing a means to combat the exponential increase in lbw decisions being awarded to spinners that we are now witnessing.

Whether it is UDRS that is the main driving force behind this spin revival is a topic that has already been extensively discussed, but certainly in terms of technique there have always been those that stood out from the crowd. Watching over some clips of the epic battles between Shane Warne and Brian Lara recently got me thinking: who are the greatest players of spin in the history of the game? Further to that, on a turning wicket, what is the best all time XI that could be assembled?

Sir Jack Hobbs - masterful

Leaving the realms of reality behind then, we travel to the Planet Teesra, light-years from Earth. As you might guess, the conditions are a spin bowler’s paradise; crumbling dust bowls with a dearth of moisture in the wicket, and many a delivery causing chunks to explode from the surface.

The Planet Teesra resident cricket team have challenged us Earthlings to a one-off Test match, to be played in their home conditions, of course. They represent a fearsome prospect, boasting a selection of the finest spin bowlers the universe has ever seen; difficult to read from the tentacle and with the ability to turn it on space ice. Their batsmen are equally masterful players of spin.

Such aliens are not the usual kind one would expect from the movies. They're similar in stature and form to human beings, so we shouldn't be facing anything too out of the ordinary, or likely to see our batsmen 'retire hurt' through alien induced savaging. They're a sporting bunch, and to counter their home advantage they have offered us the following terms and conditions:

•  An atmospheric dome will cover the venue, where gravity is equivalent to that on Earth (otherwise there would have been some serious six hitting!)
•  The aliens of Planet Teesra have offered use of their advanced technologies; allowing any cricketer from any era on Earth to be resurrected in their prime years in order to participate in this one-off Test match.
• The current ICC rules will apply, restricting the degree to which the alien spinners can use their flexible tentacles when bowling a delivery.

As selector, who would you pick? Remember, we must assemble the very finest side that Earth has had to offer in spin friendly conditions. Here is the Silly Point(s) XI:

Sir Jack Hobbs – whilst seldom batting on ‘dust bowls’, Sir Jack played many an innings on ‘sticky’, spin friendly wickets that others could only marvel at. His mastery in 1909-10 of South Africa’s leg-break bowlers when playing on the matting wickets then used in South Africa where, according to Wisden, “South African spinners were at their most viciously angular” adds further weight to the selection of cricket’s original ‘Master’.

Virender Sehwag – an extremely aggressive opening batsman that rarely lets a spinner settle. Sehwag has had his critics for his technique against the seaming and swinging ball, but his dominion of spin bowling in his home conditions of India, perhaps the nearest thing on Earth to ‘alien’ conditions, sees him selected as an opening partner for Sir Jack Hobbs. Plus, as Wisden tells us, “the sight of a spinner brings the savage out in him.” Let those aliens be scared of us, for once.

Sir Don Bradman - the greatest batsman that ever lived has to have a place, doesn’t he? Perhaps slightly weaker against spin than seam, but still outrageously effective against it; you would always back The Don to score runs.

Sachin Tendulkar – perhaps the most complete batsman of his time, ‘The Little Master’ has prolifically scored runs in all conditions. Possesses a vast array of strokes along with the perfect balance and poise at the crease that proves so effective on a turning pitch, and holds a very strong record against the greatest spinners of his time. More than capable as a back up spinner.

Brian Lara – quite simply amongst the best players of spin bowling that I have seen in my lifetime. Sublime footwork and plenty of aggressive intent that never let a spinner settle. Notable success against Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan makes his inclusion a certainty.
Sir Garfield Sobers - the finest all-rounder in the history of the sport slots in well at number six. A magnificent batsman against any type of bowling, and a very good left arm spinner in his own right, adding further variation to the Planet Earth XI spin attack, not to mention being one of the great leg-slip fielders; a key position in these conditions. 

Andy Flower (wk) – as perhaps the one Zimbabwean batsman of true Test quality, Flower consistently proved himself to be one of the finest players of spin in world cricket, enjoying tremendous success on the turning wickets of India. Will have a hard task keeping wicket in such conditions, but makes it in ahead of Alan Knott for his excellent technique when combating spin bowling.

Wasim Akram  - picked as the solitary out and out fast bowler for this Test. One has to imagine that such a pitch will be particularly abrasive, lending itself to the reverse swing of Wasim as the ball gets scuffed. More than handy with the bat for some late order runs.

Shane Warne (c) – possessing every variation in the book, including a few that existed only by name, the leg-spin of Shane Warne would be expected to play a pivotal role. Prodigious turn, accuracy and with that all-round ‘X-factor’, the greatest captain that Australia never had takes his place at number nine as captain of the Planet Earth XI. Has the ability to add further late order runs.

Sydney Barnes – sharing the new ball with Wasim, Barnes would utilise his mixture of medium pace and both off-spin and leg-spin deliveries to devastating effect on a crumbling pitch. As Wisden say, “Barnes was creative, one of the first bowlers really to use the seam of a new ball and combine swing so subtly with spin that few batsmen could distinguish one from the other.”

Muttiah Muralitharan – the record holder for the most number of wickets in Test cricket is a certain pick at number eleven to complete the Planet Earth XI line-up.  A mystery bowler whose stock off-break delivery would perfectly complement the leg-breaks of Warne, Muralitharan’s variation and lethal doosra would prove a nightmare for even the finest alien batsmen to contend with..

Perhaps our team strip will involve black suits and dark sunglasses, too.

Over to you.

The curious case of Jacques Kallis...

Twenty years on since the re-admission of South Africa to world cricket following their exclusion due to the government's policy of apartheid, the once banished nation is standing tall alongside the other behemoths of the sport.

They've never been short of talented crickets, South Africa. Prior to the sporting boycott of the nation in 1970 they were represented by undoubted greats of the game in the form of Graeme Pollock and Eddie Barlow, to name but two, and since their re-admission have seen numerous world class performers don the olive green cap.

Open to debate this may be, but perhaps South Africa's greatest ever performer, and a man that has been a stalwart of the side since re-admission is Jacques Henry Kallis. Kallis, it could be argued, is right up there alongside Sir Garfield Sobers as the greatest all-rounder the sport of cricket has ever seen, boasting an incredible 40 Test centuries, second only to Sachin Tendulkar, at an average of 57.43 (at the time of writing).

Add to this 270 Test wickets at an average of 32.01, in addition to the fact that Kallis is the only man to have scored in excess of 10,000 runs and taken in excess of 250 wickets in Test cricket, and you've got yourself one heck of a cricketer.

Why, then, does debate amongst cricket supporters often see Jacques Kallis being ranked slightly below the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara and Rahul Dravid when discussing the greatest batsmen of his era. Purely in terms of statistics, and despite his all-round credentials, Kallis has a batting average superior to any of the aforementioned. As alluded to previously, he is second only to Tendulkar in the number of Test centuries scored, and also holds the lowest number of innings per half century ratio of the group (2.62 innings per half century, with Tendulkar second at 2.66).

Initially, I believed it to be a reflection of Kallis' batting style. Cricket is, after all, an entertainment business. To the purist, Kallis' slightly cumbersome style and often laboured footwork is not hugely adhering, and his solid but unspectacular technique somehow fails to set the pulse racing in comparison to the sublime majesty of Tendulkar, that West Indian flamboyance of Lara, the poise of Dravid and the tenacity of Ponting.

History has a tendency to be kind to pioneers and entertainers, and Jacques, unfortunately, fails to qualify as either. When assessing the greatness of a batsman, however, surely style alone cannot condemn a man whose record stands up to those of his seemingly more illustrious contemporaries. There had to be something deeper and far more significant as to why this magnificent run machine wasn't receiving his dues.

When racking my brains for any possible explanation as to what makes these batsmen so great, I began trawling through the stand-out innings that each have played - whether that be an innings that alters the outcome of a series, an innings that takes their side from a seemingly unwinnable position and puts them into a winnable one, or an innings that simply sets a new precedent against a certain attack.

If we cast our memory back to the Sydney Cricket Ground in January of 2006, the above point becomes particularly relevant. The two greatest batsmen on display in this game, Kallis and Ponting, both had significant success. Kallis scored 111 in the first innings, followed up by 50 not out in the second. Ponting, on the other hand, made 120 in the first innings, and a match winning 143 not out in the second. Statistically, you couldn't argue with either performance. The manner in which the runs were compiled however, presents a different outlook in its entirety.

During that first innings, it was eminently clear that Jacques Kallis and South Africa were desperate for a big first innings total, betrayed by their snail-like run-rate of less than three runs per over. Conversely, Ponting came out and made his 120 from 174 balls, a brisk enough strike rate for sure. This is of far less consequence to this debate than the second innings, however.

After taking a first innings lead of 92 runs, South Africa's batsmen were required to really push on in order to declare and set Australia an imposing total whilst giving themselves enough time to take the ten wickets needed for victory. Herschelle Gibbs went about this task in the right manner, making 67 from 74 balls before falling, though his partner Kallis looked far more concerned with playing for his average in crawling along at barely a strike rate of 50 once again. Upon setting Australia a difficult 287 in 76 overs, Ricky Ponting strode to the crease and blitzed 143 from just 159 balls to lead Australia to an unlikely victory.

That Test match, to my mind, is a prime example of why Ricky Ponting will always be rated as a greater batsman than Jacques Kallis, despite many of the statistics proving otherwise. It is also potentially the key reason as to why Kallis is rarely regarded in the same league as the other extraordinary batsmen I have mentioned throughout this piece to many cricket buffs. In short, Kallis may have spent far too many years of his career being a great accumulator of runs, as opposed to a match winner. Though there have been signs of late that Jacques has attempted to reverse this trend, he may just have left it too late in the day. This, along with the lack of that one career defining innings to date, might just explain why such a magnificent batsman may be placed on a slightly lower pedestal than his esteemed contemporaries, despite having a record that stands shoulder to shoulder with the best of them.

India's 'Wall' well and truly breached

*Copied across from my previous blog, posted 3rd August 2011*

Cast your mind back two weeks, a much heralded Indian team arrives on English shores, rightful holders of the world number 1 Test ranking and coming off the back of an impressive series victory away in South Africa - a notoriously difficult place to go. In the Test arena, not to mention their limited overs prowess, India have swept aside all before them under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.

The foundations upon which this success has been built comes in the form of solid Indian willow, an opening pair that combines pyrotechnics with patience and class in the form of Virender Sehwag and Guatam Gambhir, reinforced by arguably the finest middle order that Test cricket has ever seen in Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman. With more than 30,000 Test runs between those three alone, it is plain to see the daunting task facing any bowling attack when attempting to remove them from the crease.

Their opponents for this highly anticipated Test series, England, have had significant success of their own during India's rise to dominance, winning a home Ashes series against Australia in 2009, finishing all square away in South Africa, the Holy Grail of an away series win in Australia in 2010/11, and a recent 1-0 series win at home against Sri Lanka.

Heading into this current series, with England needing a clear two Test win margin in order to usurp India as the number one Test ranked team, the question on the lips of most pundits was whether England's impressive bowling attack had the skill to consistently take 20 wickets against India's batting stalwarts. On the evidence of the first two Tests at Lord's and Trent Bridge...the answer is unequivocally yes.

India's 'Wall', Rahul Dravid, has been the one stand out batsman for the tourists across these first two Tests, hardly surprising for a man that has occupied the crease for longer than any other batsman in the history of the game (approximately 40,000 minutes - equivalent to one month of solid batting). Whilst Dravid has looked to be the solid mortar steadfastly holding India's batting displays together, showing perfect technique in testing conditions, his team mates have looked to be the relative play-doh, attempting to hang on when stretched but eventually giving way to an English cocktail of swing, seam and venom. Even Test cricket's record run scorer, the 'Little Master' Sachin Tendulkar, has only managed to pass fifty once in four innings.

India, in fairness, have suffered through the loss of their strike bowler Zaheer Khan, a shoulder injury to explosive opener Sehwag and an elbow injury obtained at Lord's by his opening partner Gambhir, but nevertheless have so far failed their stern examination in English conditions. Their plight has not been helped by the fact that the general fitness levels of their players appear equivalent to those of an asthmatic sloth, and it will certainly be interesting to see if India do indeed have any response to the two crushing defeats they have suffered thus far in this series. It may well be that this team of invincibles have simply met their match against an England side hell bent on being the world's finest.

The next episode of this series takes place at one of England's happiest hunting grounds, Edgbaston. Win here, and the series is theirs, along with that highly coveted number one Test ranking. Conditions at Edgbaston are likely to be similar to those experienced during the second Test at Trent Bridge, with movement for the bowlers on days one and two, and the pitch becoming slightly more batsman friendly on day three. Don't expect much spin, it is likely to once more be a battle of the seamers. England clearly have the edge in this department, and on the evidence of the past two weeks, only a fool would bet against them.

Prediction: England win.