The Indian players feel the triumph had everything to do with the preparedness to take on England on green wickets.
By Baidurjo Bhose | Mail Today – 1 hour 2 minutes ago
India's players celebrate as the 28-year wait for a Test win at Lord's finally ends. (Getty Images)New Delhi: It may sound cliched, but the roots of India’s historical win at Lord’s can be traced back to the 0-4 debacle on the 2011 tour to England. Every time India lost a Test during that disastrous summer, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would stress on the importance of learning from the mistakes and moving on. Throughout the series, Dhoni hardly ever lost his cool despite the results going against his team.
Bogged down by injuries, Dhoni was already looking ahead and plotting for retribution on India’s next visit. The plan came to fruition at the Home of Cricket, with India winning its first Tests on the hallowed turf in 28 years by defeating Alastair Cook’s team in conditions tailor-made for the home team’s benefit.
The Indian players feel the triumph had everything to do with the preparedness to take on England on green wickets. And they thank Dhoni and the coaching staff for their farsightedness.
One of the players said that even though the team played two practice games before the first Test at Trent Bridge, the wickets provided were in complete contrast to what is generally expected in England. The team management had made this clear to every member in the squad.
“Most of us guys weren’t there in 2011. So when we saw the pitch ahead of the first practice game, we were pretty surprised to see a batting paradise. But that is when the seniors made it clear that this was to prevent us from adapting to English conditions. With Dhoni and some of the other players facing this very problem in the last series, we knew we would get tough conditions only when the series starts,” the player told MAIL TODAY.
He said it was a surprise to see a flat deck for the first Test.
“We were actually caught off guard. We had expected a wicket that would suit pacers and help the home team. But when that didn’t happen, we knew that the ‘green top’ would come sooner rather than later, and they actually did that at Lord’s. But we were prepared,” he added.
Another player said the most satisfying part of the win was how India looked more at ease on the green track than the England players. “As an international team and from past experiences, we were prepared for any kind of wicket. I guess it was more about executing our plans better and we did just that,” he told MAIL TODAY.
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