The Hyderabad Heist - What Just Happened?

January 28th, 2024.
Mark the date in your calendars, as it will go down as one of the most monumental days in recent cricketing history, with the West Indies winning in Australia for the first time in 27 years and India losing to England at home, only their third loss in the last 43 tests in the country.

Not to mention the fact that India has never lost at home with a first-innings lead of more than 100 runs. They had a 190-run lead in this Test, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned from the Stokes and Mccullum era, it’s that drawing games is not an option.

What Happened in Hyderabad?

In such an action-packed and awe-inspiring Test, the better question is probably what didn’t happen!

Whether it was debutants going from nightmare to knight in shining armour or young players with promise becoming the players we all knew they could be, Stokes’ men in Hyderabad had everything, and India had no answer to the Bazball juggernaut as it rolled on, tearing up everything we thought we knew about Test cricket.

Tom Hartley - From Head-scratcher to Hero

When Tom Hartley’s name was included in the squad for India, it left many pundits scratching their heads. Hartley’s ‘modest’ first-class record was the main cause for concern, not to mention the fact that a certain other left-arm spinner had once again seemingly been overlooked.

So, for some, when India took him down in the first innings, it was no great surprise. What was more surprising was the way Stokes continued to persist with him, showing him the faith and confidence he had in his abilities. And when Leach went down injured mid-game, it was Hartley who spun England to victory finishing on 7-62, tempting Indian batters into dancing down the track, only to be bamboozled and subsequently stumped by the fast hands of Foakes.

Ollie Pope - A Man Fulfilling His Potential

When Ollie Pope burst into the England Test team back in 2018 (yes, six years ago!), it’s safe to say expectations were high for the then 20-year-old.
Comparisons were already being drawn between Pope and Root, with a classy cover drive even Ian Bell would appreciate.

However, in the 40+ Tests since then, Pope has often flattered to deceive, albeit with better results in recent times. But nothing he has done before came close to his batting display in this Test, scoring an incredible 196.

On a pitch where other players struggled to lay a bat on it, Pope was sweeping, reverse sweeping, scooping, and even reverse scooping, taking the attack to arguably two of the greatest spinners of all time in their backyard. Is this the moment that we start to see the true capabilities of this incredibly talented young cricketer?

Ben Stokes - You Can’t Keep Him Out of the Game

He didn’t bowl.
He didn’t score a boatload of runs.
And yet, you can’t keep Ben Stokes out of the game, can you? Whether it was his T20-style bowling rotations, seeking to apply as much pressure as possible on the Indian team or his unique field placements, you always feel Stokes is thinking two steps ahead.

However, it was his run out of the always dangerous Ravindra Jadeja that stood out in this match, helping his team break into the Indian tail with a piece of individual brilliance.
Picking the ball up mid-dive, Stokes decided to waste no time loading up an overarm shy at the stumps, instead opting to flick it out of the back of his hand with remarkable power and accuracy, catching Jadeja (and the rest of us) off guard, and short of the crease.

This Team Continues to Excite

Make no mistake, this is a Test team that continues to provide levels of entertainment that have not been seen for many years in Test cricket. Where games once slowly eeked away from England or ground down into a boring draw, each game now has a new level of intrigue, as spectators are confident that whatever the result, there will be a fair few fireworks on the way there.

If you’re interested in seeing the England Test team in action on home turf this summer, then look no further. Elevate your experience with all-inclusive hospitality at England v West Indies or England v Sri Lanka. Find out more here.