The decisive victory for Dharamsala was the ultimate indication that, although England primarily played one-dimensional, aggressive cricket, India was better balanced, with a strategy more subtle and suited to the oldest version of the game.
The writing was on the wall by Day 3’s lunch. Half of England’s team was back in the changing room, chasing a score that would compel them to bat again. It appeared that the home team would win magnificently. Joe Root, an experienced player from England, was facing certain defeat against the last team.
At that point, England’s youthful off-spinner Shoaib Bashir received a suggestion from Sarfaraz Khan, who was fielding at short-leg. He would be heard saying on the stump microphone, “Jaldi maarke khatam karo, apun pahaad pe baraf dekhne jaate hain (Hit out and finish the game so that we can go to the mountains to see the snow).”
