back icon

News

Tactical Preview: Anderson vs India top order & Kohli repeating 2014 mistakes

article_imageANALYSIS
Last updated on 30 Jun 2022 | 03:14 PM
Follow Us
Tactical Preview: Anderson vs India top order & Kohli repeating 2014 mistakes

Key battles, match-ups and tactical ploys against players from fifth Test between England and India at Edgbaston, Birmingham

In the rescheduled fifth Test of the 2021 India tour of England, a lot of changes have happened. Both teams will be entering the fifth Test under new leadership and coach. In India’s perspective, either KL Rahul or Rohit Sharma will be opening the innings. Despite plenty of changes, there are few tactical plots that could go against few batters:

India’s top order against Anderson

In the absence of Rohit, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli will be the key figures of India’s batting line up. Among the top five batters, Shubman Gill, Pujara and Kohli are the three that are confirmed to play.

However, all three players will have to evade the threat of James Anderson. The worst affected among the three is Pujara. In 35 innings against each other, Anderson has accounted for Pujara 11 times at an average of 21.5. In the four matches played last year, Anderson dismissed Pujara four times in seven innings at an average of 11.3.

On the other hand, in 34 innings against Kohli, Anderson has his number in seven innings at an average of 42.4. Interestingly, post his horrendous series to England in 2014, where Anderson was all-over him, his numbers have been exceptional. In 2014, Anderson dismissed Kohli four times at an average of 4.8. However, in the last two tours to England, Kohli has averaged 87.5 in 15 innings.

Gill hasn’t faced too much against Anderson. But, in the limited encounters, Anderson has got the better of Gill twice in four innings and he averages nine in four innings.

The obstacle named Joe Root

Since 2021, scoring runs has been a walk in the park for Root. In the aforementioned time, Root has scored 2462 runs. Whereas, the next batter Liton Das (1253), is 1209 runs behind. Pardon the pun! but the difference between Root and Das is the fourth highest run scorer in this time frame.

Against India, he had a special liking in 2021. In eight matches, he smashed 932 runs at an average of 66.6. These are the second most runs scored by a batter against a team in a calendar year in Tests.

In this period, especially at home, there hasn’t been a particular weakness with Root. However, 22 of his 30 dismissals against pacers have come when they have bowled on a length and he averages 22.6. Interestingly, from this length, when the balls have left him (out swingers, seamed away & Angled away), he has eight dismissals and averages 8.0.

The ghosts of 2014 affecting Kohli again?

The biggest highlight in Kohli’s success in the 2018 tour to England, was his ability to not poke at deliveries around the off-stump. However, in this tour, he has repeated the mistake he made in 2014.

In the 2014 tour, Kohli’s nine dismissals out of 10 were against pace. Out of those nine, five were in the channel around the off-stump (4th to 6th stump line). However, he corrected himself in the 2018 tour. On similar lines by the pacers, Kohli was dismissed only twice and that is the reason why he scored close to 600 runs (593).

In the uncompleted 2021 tour, the mistakes of 2014 have haunted him again. In the seven innings, Kohli has averaged 31.1 and has got out to pacers in six. To his worst, all his six dismissals have come off this line. Anderson and Stuart Broad are one of the best bowlers to exploit Kohli’s weakness.

Bounce out Stokes?

The skipper has taken a leaf out of his coach, Brendon McCullum’s book, to take the attack against the opposition, irrespective of the situation. The first innings of the third Test against New Zealand was an example.

However, since 2021, Stokes has had his troubles against pacers when they have bowled back of a length or short balls. In this period, he has suffered eight dismissals off this length and averages 12.5. Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, all these bowlers have the ability to bowl 140+ consistently.

Also, there lies a battle between the two best all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Stokes. However, Stokes isn’t bowling much now. But, when batting against Jadeja, he has four dismissals in 12 innings at an average of 18. To add more, Jadeja has two dismissals against Stokes at home as well as away.

In swingers to Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow had a stupendous series against New Zealand. More than the runs, it was his intent that impressed every one. Possibly, he would carry the same against India.

In any case, his biggest problem since 2021 against pacers have been the incoming deliveries. He has 11 dismissals at an average of 26.5, against the delivery style. On the other hand, Bumrah’s 20 wickets out of the 47 in the aforementioned time, have been through balls that have moved in.

There is also the option of going short against Bairstow as he has been dismissed six times. However, New Zealand bowler in their last series, completely failed when they tried this ploy. In fact, Bairstow clobbered them as he scored at a strike rate of 192 without a dismissal.

Gill’s trouble with length balls

In Tests, it is common for a batter to be dismissed against good length balls to pacers, let be opener or any position. But for Gill, it has been a length that has given him nightmares.  

Out of the 13 dismissals against pacers, 10 of those have been on good length. But the big worry has been the average. On fuller length, he averages 31, and when bowled back of length or short, he averages 156 with one dismissal. However, when bowled on good length, he averages 12.7, a huge set-back when playing in conditions like England.

Rishabh Pant vs Jack Leach: Round 2   

There is never any shortage of entertainment when players like Pant are batting, especially against spin. An exciting match-up lies between Pant and Jack Leach.

Leach, high on his double five-for in the third Test, will look to win the second round. In the first round between these two, Leach was carted all-over, when he toured India in 2021. In four innings, he dismissed him only once, but Pant scored at a strike rate of 149.2 in 59 balls. He had hit six maximums and seven fours. Among batters who have faced 30+ balls against Leach in Tests, Pant’s strike rate is the best. 

Related Article

Loader