Ruing over the bitter English Summer
It was the Marquee series, most talked about and highly anticipated probably only after the Ashes.
But team India where outplayed and outclassed emphatically by a perfect England side. Pietersen’s 202 in the first Test at Lord’s set the tone for England and a fiver from Anderson in the second innings had India trailing 0-1.
Dravid, after a resolute 103 at Lord’s stitched together 117 Trent bridge only to be outnumbered by Ian Bell (159) and comeback man Tim Bresnan’s spectacular all round play (90 runs and 5/48 in the 2nd innings) had India on their knees.
Two innings defeat followed next, at Edgbaston, Alastair Cook (294) piled on the misery and Anderson (4/85) finished of India. Sehwag’s golden duck was amused a lot. At Kennington Oval the humiliation was completed by Ian Bell (235), Kevin Pietersen (175) and Graeme Swann (106).
Dravid though, held on, not like ‘The Wall’ but like a ‘Rock’. Sachin 91 in the final innings was a bit of an anti climax. The series was so marred that Dhoni was forced to put up an embarrassment in the form of RP Singh in the 4th Test.
In the ODIs, more than lack of preparation, luck turned against India with a heap of injuries. India started off well in the first ODI with Parthiv Patel (95) and Rahane (40) combing well but rain dashed out India’s hope. Every match of the series was decided though the Duckworth Lewis method, even the tied game. England blanked India 3-0.