England was at their best as they registered a fantastic win over India at Leeds and leveled the five-match Test series 1-1. Former England cricketer Dominic Cork was impressed with the home team’s performance and hailed them for outplaying India in all three departments in the third Test.
“England bowlers know these conditions, know this ground, and understand that 4th-5th stump line that makes batsmen play at times. They also bowl slightly wide of the crease and create an angle. They make it look like you have got to play at the balls and they were also a little bit fuller,” Cork said.
“The Indian bowlers, their lengths were not the same as their English counterparts. England constantly swung the ball... Virat Kohli said at the presentation that England bowlers didn't let them off the hook at any stage, they put them under pressure and didn't allow easy runs,” he added.
Opting to bat first, India was bowled out for just 78 runs in the first innings whereas, in reply, the hosts scored 432 runs securing a lead of 354 runs which proved to be too much as Joe Root and Co. won the match by an innings and 76 runs.
“Test cricket is hard enough when you are trying to get a total but when the opposition is not giving away easy runs... I think it was the pressure, the conditions helped England in the morning, they swung the ball put India under pressure took the wickets,” the Englishman pointed out.
“And if you look at the way England batted, this is the first time the top-4 have got fifties since 2013. So that shows the improvement in England's top-4 and also Joe Root is in the form of his life, put that all together and I think ultimately England outplayed India.”
The right-arm quick then talked about the Test series between India and England being far from being dead as the results of the remaining two Tests are really unpredictable.
“But this series is not dead and buried. We go to The Oval, flatter pitch, 2 matches to go... I don't think anybody can predict the results,” Cork concluded.
After a defeat at Leeds, England will be locking horns with India in the fourth Test match scheduled to be played at the Kennington Oval in London.
(With India Today Inputs)
