In 2014, after India went down by an innings and 244 runs in the fifth Test at the Oval, a solemn-looking MS Dhoni appeared in the press conference. The series score-line read 3-1, and this was his third successive series loss in less than a year, following defeats in South Africa and New Zealand.
Going back to 2011-12, when India had been embarrassed 8-0 in England and Australia, this was a fifth successive overseas Test series loss. In between, his team had also lost 2-1 at home to England, marking a truly troublesome period under his captaincy where words like transition and rebuilding were prominent.
The defeat at the Oval was peculiar though. India had taken the lead at Lord’s with a thumping win but then lost at Southampton and Old Trafford, the latter a particularly crushing defeat. Coming back to London, the series was still alive though, and yet the Indian team surrendered without any fight.
When the grey-haired, weary Indian captain appeared later in the post-match conference, one put a simple question to him. “Have you taken this team as far as you can in Test cricket?” He replied in two words: “Probably, yes.”
His admission wasn’t really surprising. For some time, Dhoni’s Test captaincy was on its last legs. India’s insipid performance in that south London match outlined how he couldn’t encourage his troops sufficiently enough and that his tried and tested methods were no longer bringing the desired results. As such, his answer was more of a gentle reminder to the selectors to relieve him of his burden.
As such, after England succumbed to a shocking four-day innings’ defeat in the Mumbai Test, a similar plea could be heard in the words of Alastair Cook. “Joe Root is ready to lead,” he said, when asked about the future of England’s leadership in Test cricket.
Cook has been asked this question repeatedly of late. He was asked about it before this five-match series even began. He was asked before the Mumbai Test, given how hopes of salvaging something from the series were hanging by a thread. And once his team succumbed, he was asked again. His answer has changed from ‘will take it series by series’ to ‘will take a call after this series if we lose’ to ‘will have a sit down with Andrew Strauss in January’. And then, he talked up Root as future England captain.
It isn’t so much the words that the England selectors and the team management need to venture into. At best, they can provide a reference point, a look into what is going inside their captain’s head. The decision however can – and should – be made keeping in mind recent results.
A 3-1 loss here in India with one Test remaining at the time of writing, an unexpected 1-1 draw in Bangladesh, and a 2-2 draw at home against Pakistan in the summer. England should have won at least two of these three series (and it is fairly obvious which ones). Even so, the support for Cook, from all quarters be it players or coaching staff, has been unwavering even though England’s Test fortunes have hit a downward curve in recent months.
There is a certain parallel herein to how Dhoni received support in the latter stages of his Test captaincy. After 8-0, there was huge debate whether he should stay on. But once that subsided, there was no doubt that he ought to be the man to lead India in its long overseas cycle of four successive overseas tours.
By the time the England tour had passed, there were serious symptoms of illness with the leadership role. There was uncertainty on the field, and in selection. Stuart Binny was pushed time and again as the fifth bowler/all-rounder, despite lacking the quality for either role. Most of all, on many occasions, Dhoni seemed to be just dragging the game, even following it around, a couple steps behind the curve as opposed to his limited-overs’ captaincy.
Trevor Bayliss says he expects Alastair Cook to remain @englandcricket captain until at least next Ashes series. pic.twitter.com/NH4ANKYwpg
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) December 5, 2016
Cook doesn’t have ODI cricket to fall back on. Of late though, there is a stark resemblance in his style of leadership to the aforementioned. Sample this. In Mohali, England had fought hard on day two and restricted India’s middle order. And then the game meandered away on the morning of day three, with Moeen Ali bowling ahead of James Anderson, allowing the lower-order batsmen to settle down and get crucial runs on the board.
This ploy of using a spinner first up is a pre-meditated one. In Mumbai too, Cook thought of using Ali with Jake Ball against the overnight batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay. But then Ball bowled Pujara and Virat Kohli was at the crease for the third ball of the day. Any captain worth his salt would surely want his best bowler, his spearhead, bowling at the opposition’s mainstay. Cook erred here, and Ali never troubled Kohli, at all.
In the evening session on day two, Cook had also taken Adil Rashid out of the attack just because he was hit for a few extra runs. The English skipper felt tempted to use the different bowling options at his disposal. It suggests his selection was muddled. He doesn’t know his best combination, particularly given how ineffective the third spinners – Zafar Ansari and Gareth Batty – have proven to be. He could have played an extra batsman which would have provided that cushion, but the lure of another bowler proved strong.
Overall, it encapsulated the indecision that quickly creeps into Cook’s mind whenever the opposition gets on top. ‘Chasing the game’ is a phrase that comes to mind, yet there have been odd spurts of inspiration. He timed the declaration in Rajkot just right, and put India under immense pressure. And it was his idea to bowl Root in Mumbai, the part-timer striking twice.
Such moments are far and few between, but have allowed India to escape repetitively from pressurised situations. It poses a dilemma for the team director, Strauss, and the selectors back home. The evidence is in front of them, but should they act on it? Or let their captain chart his own course, given the fact he is England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer.
Well, Dhoni walked away, when he knew it was time. Perhaps Cook would do well to emulate that last bit too in what have been pretty similar Test captaincy traits.
Alastair Cook has confirmed @jimmy9 will miss out in Chennai due to stiffness but @StuartBroad8 is back in contention #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/sFHWihg9mw
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 15, 2016
