Edgbaston: What an uncertain game is cricket? At the end of Day 3, India was in a commanding position to dictate the terms of the remaining part of the match. But poor batting by the middle order let the team down. The hosts bundled out the visitors for 245 in the second innings.
Ben Stokes was the pick of the bowlers and sent four batsmen into the hut. He always plays a leading role for his team, either in batting or bowling, when the team needs him most. He is a man of crisis and knows how to rescue a team from a hopeless situation.
The unbeaten 150-run stand between men in form, Root and Bairstow, has seized the advantage from India and swung the pendulum in favour of the Englishmen. The Indian bowlers still have a chance to come back if they take two or three wickets quickly in the early part of the fifth day’s play; otherwise, these two batters would like to cross the line at the earliest.
Both teams have a chance, but the hosts are the favourites. They need just 119 runs to square the series, and India has to do something extraordinary to snatch the series 3-1.
Racist abuse
Racism in sports is not uncommon. Cricket is not aloof from this abuse. Racist behaviour among some members of the crowd at the Edgbaston Test between India and England was seen on the fourth day.
Warwickshire County Cricket Club said officials are probing allegations of racist behavior.
Several fans who were on the ground tweeted that they had faced racist abuse from some supporters at the Birmingham venue on Monday.
The England & Wales Cricket Board said in a statement it was “very concerned” by the reports.
“I’m heartbroken by these reports as we’re working hard to make Edgbaston a safe, welcoming environment for all,” Stuart Cain, chief executive at Edgbaston, said on Monday.
Nobody should be the victim of racist abuse at Edgbaston. The moment we get all the facts, this issue will be addressed swiftly.
Club Statement
💬 “Nobody should be subject to any form of abuse at Edgbaston.”
📝 https://t.co/7iv5t1VOwC#Edgbaston | #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/VsYmyGIAyj
— Edgbaston (@Edgbaston) July 4, 2022
The Bharat Army, India’s official global supporters’ group, later made it clear that many of its members had been targeted by “a very small section of the crowd”.
Wasim Haque
