Sport Comment: England have been galvanised by tourists’ failed pursuit of charges
I ADMIRE an awful lot of things about how India try to play cricket but I haven’t been impressed with their pursuit of James Anderson over an altercation with Ravi Jadeja during the first Test and, ultimately, I think it has seen them shoot themselves in the foot.
To me, the incident seems to have been blown out of all proportion. Whether there was pushing or verbal abuse I don’t know, but it took place in the pavilion, out of the public eye, and the match referee was content to tell everyone to grow up and leave it at that.
Then India decided to lodge a complaint. A judge, Gordon Lewis, was brought over from Australia to investigate. He found Anderson and Jadeja not guilty and effectively told both teams to get on with it. That it ever got to that stage was ridiculous.
But for India – who wield more influence than any other country in world cricket and are the only ones not to adopt the decision review system – to then take it up with the International Cricket Council (ICC) smacks of throwing their weight around.
If anything this will have worked in England’s favour, even aside from Anderson being available for the remaining two matches.
The fact that the row has rumbled on so long will only have fired Alastair Cook’s men up further for today’s fourth Test.
PENDULUM
Anderson and Jadeja are both very influential players who could have a major say in who wins this series, which is level at 1-1. But now the England paceman will have been reinvigorated by being found not guilty and the ICC’s subsequent refusal to intervene.
It’s difficult to overstate Anderson’s importance to England’s hopes. He makes a huge difference, especially given the alternatives at Cook’s disposal, and his availability probably makes them favourites.
England did everything right in the third Test – they got big runs and made the scoreboard pressure tell on India – and will be looking for a carbon copy performance. I’d be very surprised if they made any changes to the team.
The danger for England is if they retreat into their shell and play the defensive, fearful cricket that got them into trouble earlier in the series. Momentum is an enormous factor in all sports. Thanks to the Anderson verdict and their victory in Southampton, England have it, and if they take the game to India over the next few days I think the pendulum will swing further in their favour.
Andy Lloyd is a former England Test cricketer who has served as captain and chairman of Warwickshire.