ENG vs IND: 5 Key Lessons Team India Must Learn From Test Series Draw Against England

India’s 2-2 draw in England highlighted key areas needing attention. From selection clarity to tactical sharpness and depth in contributions across the board, the series offered timely lessons for future overseas challenges.

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Key Lesson for Team India from England Test Tour

The 45-Day England Test Tour concluded with a thrilling victory and a five-match Test series for Team India at the Oval in London on Monday, August 5. The Shubman Gill-led India pulled off a dramatic six-run win in the Oval Decider.

Defending a 374-run target, Team India managed to bowl out England for 367 runs, thanks to a relentless bowling by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who together picked nine wickets, with the former registering a five–wicket, hat turned the tide in India’s favour during the tense morning session of the final day. Their combined effort sealed a remarkable comeback and ensured the series ended in a draw 2-2.

As Team India had a great end to the Test series, with thrills, heartbreaks, and disappointments, let’s take a look at the key lessons that they must learn from the England tour.

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1. Pace attack pays off without Jasprit Bumrah

One of the key lessons Team India must learn from the thrilling Test series is that the pace attack can deliver without the presence of Jasprit Bumrah. This can be evidenced from India's Edgbaston and Oval Test wins, where the pace spearhead was rested in order to manage his workload. In the Edgbaston Test victory, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep combined to pick 16 wickets across two innings, with each taking a six-wicket haul in each innings.

In a thrilling Oval Decider win, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna picked 19 wickets across both innings to pull off the Test series draw. Given India’s pace bowling performance in two crucial Test wins at Edgbaston and Oval, it proved India’s fast-bowling depth can shine in the absence of their frontline pacer and World No.1 Test bowler, Jasprit Bumrah.

Jasprit Bumrah finished the England tour with 14 wickets, but his presence did not favour any result for India at Headingley, Lord’s, and Old Trafford.

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2. Consistency in selection and plans

Another major lesson India must learn from their Test tour of England is to maintain consistency in selection. The recently concluded Test series against England saw changes in selection after every Test match. Resting Jasprit Bumrah for two Tests at Edgbaston and Oval saw a shuffle in the bowling attack, with Anshul Kamboj included in the playing XI for the Manchester Test, and then dropped from the Oval Test to bring in Prasidh Krishna.

The same was the case with the batting line-up, where Karun Nair was promoted to No.3 from the No.5 batting position by replacing Sai Sudharsan, who was dropped after his Test debut at Headingley. Then, Sudharsan was brought in for the final two matches of the series and dropped Karun from the Manchester Test before giving him a chance again in the series finale at the Oval.

This constant chopping and changing disrupted the team’s rhythm and individual confidence, underscoring the significance of backing a settled combination and clear roles, especially in an away Test series.

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3. Tailenders need to contribute

One of the major lessons India needs to pick from the Test series against England is the importance of lower-order contributions with the bat. On multiple occasions, England’s talinders added crucial runs to the hosts’ scoreboard, which proved decisive in tight contests. In contrast, India’s talinders often folded quickly either under pressure or in critical situations, exposing a gap in resilience and technical ability.

The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Anshul Kamboj, and Prasidh Krishna failed to contribute with the bat and hold the fort in a crucial situation in the lower order. Akash Deep was promoted to No.4 as a nightwatchman in the second innings of India’s batting and played a gritty innings of 66 off 94 balls in the Oval Decider.

Therefore, strengthening batting depth and encouraging the tailenders to hold their ground or add vital runs could significantly impact results in close-fought Test matches.

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4. Tactical and Game Awareness

The recently concluded Test series against England exposed India’s lack of tactical and game awareness. This came to light during England’s 374-run chase, when Harry Brook and Joe Root completely shifted the momentum of the series finale with their solid 195-run partnership. Pacers, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna bowled 76.2 overs, while spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar bowled 8 overs on Day 4.

Former Indian spinner R Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’ that Shubman Gill made a mistake by not introducing Sundar early into the attack, adding that such mistakes cannot be committed, especially when the momentum is tilting towards the hosts.

Though India relied on Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj to deliver eventually paid off at the end, failure to adapt to game situations had nearly cost the team. Going forward, astute on-field decisions and changes in tactics according to the situations of the game will be crucial, especially in high-pressure Test series.

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5. Shubman Gill’s captaincy needs refining

Shubman Gill undoubtedly had a great debut Test series as a captain, drawing the series 2-2 and making a massive contribution with the bat, amassing 754 runs, including four centuries, at an average of 75.4 in 10 innings. However, his leadership still shows signs of inexperience in crunch situations. Gill had succumbed to pressure when England began to pile up runs, leaving him in a situation where he had to make hasty decisions.

While Shubman Gill’s calm attitude and demeanour are commendable, his delayed bowling changes, field placements, and underutilisation of key resources, like spinners on Day 4 in the Oval Decider, revealed key areas for improvement.

As Shubman Gill grows into the role, developing sharper tactical instincts, reading the match temperament better, and trusting flexibility as per the game situations will be vital to thrive as a long-term Test captain for India.