0W00W
In cricket, we (fans, pundits, everyone) have a tendency to jump to conclusions. We seek meaning to explain the reasons behind what we see on the field – it is only natural to want to insert a broader narrative into an otherwise meaningless game. Without the redemption arcs, the David vs Goliath stories and general battles against adversity, it’s just 22 men throwing and hitting a ball for a week. We also have a tendency of being proved wrong, and England’s first Test against India in Chennai has done exactly that.
Before this series, there were rumbles of Joe Root’s captaincy affecting his batting. Common criticisms highlighted his struggles to convert 50s into centuries. But in Chennai, in his 100th Test for England, Root was able to shut out the noise and put on one of the great batting displays, hitting 218 in the first innings, helping his team reach a grand total of 578 – something seemingly impossible just six months ago.
And it was clear his renewed focus on batting did not come at the detriment of his captaincy, as he savvily rotated his bowlers, letting the spinners take the lead before unleashing Jofra Archer’s lightning arm when required, and Jimmy Anderson’s magic swing at the perfect time.
At 38 years old, the conversation around England’s all-time leading wicket taker has been centred around how long he can keep doing it, and whether he should be quietly phased out, rather than appreciating that he is still performing at the very highest level. Every difficult spell, usually in hot, dry, clear conditions fuelled concern that he was too much of a home specialist who needed clouds and a green pitch to truly excel.
And so with India 92-2 in the 27th over, the sun beaming down on a cracked orange pitch, you’d be forgiven for questioning Root’s decision to hand Jimmy the ball. But what followed will go down in history as one of the great Test overs of all time.
A double wicket maiden, with both dismissals near enough identical as the ball swung inwards and sent the stumps cartwheeling down the ground, dispelled any myths about Anderson’s limitations. 0W00W indeed.
bUt JiMmY cAn OnLy TaKe WiCkEtS aT hOmE https://t.co/NGmoA6ogrF
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOE_UK) February 9, 2021
Dom Bess, Jack Leach and Jofra Archer took the remaining wickets to end India’s run of eight consecutive Test victories on home soil, but Anderson’s spectacular over proved the turning point.
This stunning performance, in supposedly difficult conditions, has only reaffirmed his status as one of, if not the greatest seamer of all time. In terms of longevity, no-one comes close.
Managing his workload will of course be important, but as he explained on a recent episode of the Tailenders, his body doesn’t feel 38 years old. And if sport has taught us anything this week, it’s that you’re only as old as you feel.
England will always have one eye on the next Ashes series, and the debate about which bowlers to select in harsh conditions will not go away, but at least now we can rest assured the king of swing can still work his magic.
