When MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli were displaying the batting version of putting mind over matter, the England bowlers and fielders had all reasons to drop their shoulders and just go through the motions. Instead, they fought back.
They broke the fifth-wicket partnership on 198 when Graeme Swann trapped Kohli lbw first ball after a drinks break in the last session. In a matter of an hour, India slumped from 269/4 to 297/8.
Jonathan Trott, who scored a patient 44 in England’s first innings and will have a major role to play when his team bats again, praised his teammates for keeping their chins up despite going wicketless for two sessions.
“I think the last half an hour changes things massively,” Trott said in the context of the game. “Credit to the guys for sticking it out and getting those wickets and coming back into the game.”
While Kohli’s wicket triggered a mini-collapse, it was the run-out of MS Dhoni that Trott picks as the turning point of the match. The Indian skipper, in a rush of blood to get to his sixth Test century, went for a tight single and failed to make it by about an inch. He was out for 99. “Hopefully, it can be a game-changing moment for us, and we can add to it by winning the game,” Trott said.
While Trott was pleased to have gone back into the change room knowing the opposition’s two key batsmen were back in the hut, he also took time out to admire their batting.
“They batted today for two sessions without losing a wicket,” Trott said of the Virat-Dhoni pair. “Their basics were really good and had a good game plan. When you’re starting the day four wickets down, take a few risks and get out, you’re battered. But I think they played unbelievably well for five hours and credit to them.
“The oppositions are allowed to play well, but we too stuck to our guns and kept the pressure on them. Eventually, we got a breakthrough and we were able to push it forward to get another wicket. It was a great day of Test cricket and very proud to be part of it.
Trott said that Kohli and Dhoni’s knocks will act as a good reference point for the England batsmen when they come out to bat in the second innings.
“Now it’s the case of us going out there and to be able to do that as well and put a big score on the board. We have to apply ourselves and like Dhoni and Kohli showed, you can bat on this wicket and the ball gets soft quite quickly. Playing with the patience of the bowling team is the most important thing.”
