In another two days, the India-England Test series resumes. Two of the five Tests have been completed, England won the first, and India grabbed the second. Needless to say, the series is now interestingly poised, and if all that has happened in the contest thus far is any indication, cricket lovers should be in for some feast indeed. And that is saying something considering where Test cricket stands in contemporary times in the midst of the shorter versions, the T20 and ODI! Indeed, whichever way one looked at it, this current series in India is proving to be a great advertisement for Test cricket in general.
Gone are the days when Test cricket would be looked on not just as the essence of this sport but for the lazy charm and also skills steeped in techniques and whatnot. There was a certain charm in seeing a batter hold one end presenting a dead bat for anything thrown at him. In short, he would keep blocking for hours without concern for scoring runs. That great English player Ken Barrington’s name would come to mind. Known for his impregnable defence, Barrington was one of the success stories of England cricket. Then there are the kind of bowlers who would tie up one end with their accurate spin bowling. The name Bapu Nadkarni would come to one’s mind! One of India’s top spinners in the sixties, Nadkarni even........