Lonely Joe, Rampant Rishabh: Five Talking Points From India vs England Test Series
India crushed England inside three days of the fourth Test to clinch the series 3-1 and book their meeting with New Zealand in the World Test Championship final. Let's Take a look at five talking
Rohit Sharma welcomed the crowds back to Indian cricket grounds with a fluent 161 in the second Test to lead his team's comeback win. The opener pulled and swept with elan as he hit 18 boundaries and two sixes and continued his good run in the low-scoring pink-ball game with 66 and 25 not out.
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Sharma, more known for his limited-overs exploits, stood tall in a series that remained ordinary for captain Virat Kohli, who fell twice without scoring.
"Rohit's knock was the most defining moment in us coming back," said Kohli.
Moeen exits, bubble bursts
Moeen Ali's exit from the England team bio-secure "bubble" after the second Test left many confused after Root said the all-rounder had opted to go home.
Top players including Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow were given breaks as players were rotated in and out of the squad during the team's six-Test sub-continent tour that included two Sri Lanka Tests.
Coach Chris Silverwood later apologized for the messy way the departure was handled, saying it had been England's decision. Moeen had contracted coronavirus on landing in Sri Lanka, and only played one Test.
It highlighted England's controversial, pre-ordained rest plans during the pandemic, which were severely criticized back home, with Root never seeming to have his strongest eleven players at his disposal at the same time.
But Root defended the policy. "We can't keep playing guys until they fall over," he said, with England facing the prospect of playing up to 17 Tests under virus-restrictions during 2021.
