{"id":23963,"date":"2024-03-13T03:33:31","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T07:33:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/india-v-england-andy-zaltzmans-four-statistics-that-defined-the-series\/13\/03\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-03-13T03:33:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-13T07:33:31","slug":"india-v-england-andy-zaltzmans-four-statistics-that-defined-the-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/india-v-england-andy-zaltzmans-four-statistics-that-defined-the-series\/13\/03\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"India v England: Andy Zaltzman&#8217;s four statistics that defined the series"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1\">\n<figure class=\"gs-u-mt0 gs-u-mb-alt+ story-body__media story-body__media--figure qa-story-body-media story-body__media--lead\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$video-1\"><span class=\"gs-u-display-block story-body__media\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$video-1.0\"><span class=\"gs-u-display-block gs-o-responsive-image\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$video-1.0.0\"><noscript data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$video-1.0.0.1\"\/><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"gel-brevier gs-u-ph+ gs-u-pv-alt story-body__media__caption story-body__media__caption--video\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$video-1.1\">Ben Stokes reflects on England\u2019s 4-1 series defeat to India.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p role=\"introduction\" class=\"qa-introduction gel-pica-bold\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-2\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-2.0\">One of the eternal fascinations of Test cricket, especially in these Bazballistic times, is that there are almost infinite ways for interpreting what has happened.<\/span><\/p>\n<div data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-3\">\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-3.0\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-3.0.0\">In losing 4-1 in India, did England just get thrashed, and end the series utterly dominated?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-4\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-4.0\">Did they give the Ravichandran Ashwin-Ravindra Jadeja-era India one of the toughest challenges they have faced in a home series? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-5\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-5.0\">Did their hyper-aggressive approach discombobulate their opponents, or themselves?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-6\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-6.0\">Was that approach England&#8217;s best strategy for achieving victory, or an inevitable route to defeat?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-7\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-7.0\">You could reasonably answer yes and\/or no to all of those questions, and offer statistical evidence to support your answers.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-8\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-8.0\">In the end, the numbers showed a similar defeat to England&#8217;s previous two tours of India.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-9\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-9.0\">An excellent first Test performance (wins in 2023-24 and 2020-21, the better of a draw in 2016-17) followed by losing all the remaining matches.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-10\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-10.0\">By the end of the series, England averaged 25.6 runs per wicket with the bat, and 39.7 with the ball.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-11\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-11.0\">As a ratio &#8211; England&#8217;s runs-per-wicket batting was 64.5% of their runs-per-wicket bowling &#8211; it was slightly inferior to the previous two series, and England&#8217;s second worst in a series in India, behind their 3-0 drubbing in 1992-93.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-12\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-12.0\">England&#8217;s fifth-Test subsidence shunted the numbers further towards the impression of a totally comprehensive defeat, but deep into day two of the fourth Test, the tourists were well-placed to make it 2-2 in the series. Nonetheless, India ended with the top five players in both the batting averages (three innings minimum) and the bowling averages (10 overs minimum).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-13\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-13.0\">The 25.6 runs per wicket batting figure was England&#8217;s second lowest in a series in India. Only the 2020-21 series (19.8) was worse. They lost a wicket every 42 balls three years ago; this time, they lost one every 40 balls, on far more fair and friendly pitches.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-14\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-14.0\">The major difference was in runs per over, with the 3.83 Ben Stokes&#8217; side managed this time being the first instance of England scoring at more than three per over in a series in India, and comfortably the highest run rate any visiting side has achieved in India.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-15\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-15.0\">To help interpret the events of these five fascinating Tests, here are my four stats that explain the series&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"story-body__crosshead\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$crosshead-16\">1. England&#8217;s unconverted starts<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"gs-u-mt0 gs-u-mb-alt+ story-body__media story-body__media--figure qa-story-body-media\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-17\"><span class=\"gs-u-display-block story-body__media\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-17.0\"><span class=\"gs-u-display-block gs-o-responsive-image\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-17.0.0\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"gel-brevier gs-u-ph+ gs-u-pv-alt story-body__media__caption story-body__media__caption--image\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-17.1\">Jonny Bairstow&#8217;s highest score of 39 came in the final match of the series &#8211; his 100th Test appearance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-18\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-18.0\">England batters had 35 scores of 25 or more, but converted only 10 of those into fifty-plus innings (28%).   <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-19\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-19.0\">In all series of five or more Tests (of which there have been more than 170), only six teams have ever had a worse conversion rate of quarter-centuries to half-centuries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-20\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-20.0\">Jonny Bairstow became only the second player in Test history to reach 25 seven times in a series without posting a fifty. He goes to the top of the list by virtue of the fact that the other player with seven unconverted 25s in a series, Vernon Ransford of Australia in 1911-12, had a not out in one of his innings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-21\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-21.0\">Bairstow also set a new record for most runs in a Test series without reaching 40 &#8211; 238, which also puts him third on the all-time list of most runs in a Test series without reaching 50. Ben Foakes&#8217; 205 runs, with a highest of 47, also made the top 20 of that list.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-22\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-22.0\">They were the first players to make 200 runs without a half-century in a Test series since Mark Ramprakash, who in a heroic 1991 debut rubber against an all-time great West Indies pace attack made 19 or more in eight of his nine innings, batted a total of 737 balls, but didn&#8217;t reach 30.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-23\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-23.0\">Zak Crawley played strikingly well for most of the series, combining his always-majestic strokeplay with defensive skill, patience and judgement, notably against Jasprit Bumrah (77 runs for one dismissal). However, his 407 runs constituted the second most in a Test series without a score of 80, behind Pakistan great Javed Miandad, who made 421 in India in 1979-80 with a top score of 76. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"story-body__crosshead\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$crosshead-24\">2. England&#8217;s failure to bat as a team<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-25\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-25.0\">But for Joe Root&#8217;s final innings 84, England would have been the first team since 1959 to play a five-Test series and not have at least two players with two or more 50-plus scores.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-26\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-26.0\">Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett became the eighth and ninth names on a select list of England players with a 150-plus score but no other half-centuries in a Test series (eight innings minimum). Pope&#8217;s 196 in the first Test is also the fifth-highest score by a player who has also been out for nought in both innings of a Test in the same series.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-27\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-27.0\">In none of the 10 innings in the series did two of England&#8217;s top eight reach 50. It is only the second time England have had a sequence of 10 consecutive Test innings without two top-eight fifties &#8211; the other was back in 1905-06.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"story-body__crosshead\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$crosshead-28\">3. India&#8217;s spinners shine in final three Tests.<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"gs-u-mt0 gs-u-mb-alt+ story-body__media story-body__media--figure qa-story-body-media\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-29\"><span class=\"gs-u-display-block story-body__media\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-29.0\"><span class=\"gs-u-display-block gs-o-responsive-image\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-29.0.0\"><img style=\"display:block\" class=\"lazyload\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=75&resize=75 75w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=100&resize=100 100w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=150&resize=150 150w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=240&resize=240 240w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=320&resize=320 320w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=500&resize=500 500w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=640&resize=640 640w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=800&resize=800 800w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024 1024w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=1280&resize=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg?w=1600&resize=1600 1600w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 800px, (min-width: 900px) 624px, (min-width: 600px) 976px, (min-width: 400px) 624px, 400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/400\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg 400w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/800\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/976\/cpsprodpb\/AA95\/production\/_132896634_gettyimages-2006735307.jpg 976w\" alt=\"India spinners Kuldeep Yadav (left) and Ravichandran Ashwin (right) celebrate a wicket\" class=\"qa-srcset-image\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-29.0.0.0\"\/><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"gel-brevier gs-u-ph+ gs-u-pv-alt story-body__media__caption story-body__media__caption--image\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$image-29.1\">India spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin tormented England in the final Test<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-30\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-30.0\">Playing India in their own country over the past 11 years has been, statistically, as difficult a challenge as any in Test history.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-31\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-31.0\">England&#8217;s almost absurdly inexperienced spin attack began magnificently. After two Tests, they had taken 33 wickets at an average of 33.9. India&#8217;s had 23 wickets at 38.3.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-32\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-32.0\">Even in defeat in the second Test, when Bumrah&#8217;s genius was decisive, England&#8217;s spinners returned a lower runs-per-wicket figure than their opponents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-33\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-33.0\">However, the final three Tests saw the experience, quality, craft and mesmerising variety of Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav demolish England&#8217;s batting, with 46 wickets at 18.1.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-34\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-34.0\">England&#8217;s spinners managed 27 at 45.5 against an Indian batting line-up improved by the addition of Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel.  <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"story-body__crosshead\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$crosshead-35\">4. Bumrah&#8217;s brilliance<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-36\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-36.0\">India fast bowler Bumrah took 19 wickets at an average of 16.8. All other seamers combined took 25 wickets at 45.8 &#8211; an average 2.7 times higher.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-37\"><span data-reactid=\".11rc9pah9uq.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-37.0\">That earns the magic-fingered India pacer the much-coveted award for biggest difference in average between the leading seamer and all other seamers in a Test series of at least five matches (in which the lowest-averaging seamer played at least half the Tests).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/cricket\/68546045\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ben Stokes reflects on England&rsquo;s 4-1 series defeat to India. One of the eternal fascinations of Test cricket, especially in these Bazballistic<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/india-v-england-andy-zaltzmans-four-statistics-that-defined-the-series\/13\/03\/2024\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23966,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[213],"tags":[929,5697,170,1152,512,5696,5695],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23963"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23963"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23965,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23963\/revisions\/23965"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23966"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}