England’s reward for finishing one epic series is to immediately look forward to the next. After Mohammed Siraj ripped out Gus Atkinson’s off-stump to secure India an historic victory and a two-all series draw at the Oval this week, eyes turned to the Ashes.
Approaching this summer, England had 10 Tests in a row to define their legacy, and now they have only five. Had they defeated India, taking on Australia would have felt like the natural summit of the Bazball era, but it would have also given them something to fall back on if they failed.
India are a wonderful side and beating them would have been an achievement that captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum could hang their hats on.
Instead, the two-all draw means that under Stokes and McCullum, England have played three series against India and Australia and won none of them. Looking further back, England have not won a series against either nation since 2018.
The result means it is win or bust for England in Australia. Success would be a massive achievement, given they have not won a single match Down Under since 2011, but is necessary to prove England’s substance to go with their clear style.
“We’re in the middle now,” McCullum said in the moments after the Oval Test finished. “Halfway through what we knew was going to be an unbelievable 12 months of Test cricket. We know we’ve got some room to improve.
“We’ll let this one sit, we’ll digest it. We’ll be able to pick out what has gone well then start to work out how we can keep improving so when we do arrive out in Australia we give ourselves a huge chance.”
Substance over style
Defeat at the Oval laid bare how crucial Stokes is to this side’s fortunes. Missing with a shoulder injury he picked up in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, his absence led to England going without a specialist spinner for only the second time since Stokes took over as captain.
He is loath to leave one out, but if he is unable to play, the need for England to play four seamers during the Ashes may make it a necessity.
Stokes will be fit in time for Australia, but there remains an underlying concern that in his past 11 matches, he has broken down in three of them, twice with hamstring issues, and now with a shoulder injury. England’s glass man will need to be wrapped in cotton wool.
The condensed nature of this India series meant England picked three new seamers in the fifth and final match as the intensity of the contest took its toll. While the Ashes schedule is less strenuous with more time in between games, how England manage their seamers will be crucial to any success.
All the quick bowlers who featured against India bar Chris Woakes, who is an injury concern, and Jamie Overton, who played only his second Test after three years out of the set-up, are locks to go, while Mark Wood is the only major player to return. The likes of Essex’s Sam Cook and Durham’s Matthew Potts appear to have fallen out of favour.
England’s dream will be to field a team with one of Jofra Archer or Wood in every match across the series. Combined with the likes of Atkinson and Brydon Carse, England will feel confident they have the combination of high pace and skill to put up a fight.
It is England’s only real area of selection debate. The top seven is, in their minds, settled, as is Shoaib Bashir’s place as the spinner after Liam Dawson failed to press his case in his one appearance at Old Trafford.
Rarely have England gone to Australia with such a settled side and with it they have provided nothing but entertainment for the past six weeks. Now, however, is the time for results.
