English bazball

The 1st Test match between India and England in Hyderabad was looked at as a challenging start to the 5-match series between the two nations. England were projecting it as the final frontier, all set to break India's dominance at home. The word “preparation” and “Bazball” were being written and spoken about with gusto. One got the feeling that England were on a serious path of planning and structuring India’s demise. How wrong one was.

The 10 days' preparation in Abu Dhabi to simulate the Indian conditions seemed to have gone totally awry. The English batters and bowlers were as clueless about the Indian conditions as we are about the English weather.