Does the recent India v England ODI series rank amongst the best ever?

[Harsh Thakor]

Few 3 game O.D.I.series in the history of the game have revealed intensity,competitiveness , excitement and as strong mental resilience from both teams as the recently concluded one.It included the best ever chase of mammoth target after a team was placed in a crisis like when India chased 351 at Pune,arguably the best ever chase in a losing cause by England at Cuttack and the ebb and low changing twice in the final over of the last game at Kolkata which is a rarity.Kedar Jadhav reminded you of a Viv Richards or Virendra Sehwag with his dazzling or scintillating strokeplay.

I can't forget India chasing down 351 after being 63-4,England coming so close to chasing a target of 382 after being around 310-7 in the 44th over and the heroic feats of both Kedar Jadhav and Woakes who created the equivalent of 2 dramatic changes of plot in the climax of a Holywoood thriller.


I can't remember an O.D.I.series that contributed so much for the victory of the game.True bowling attacks often looked depleted allowing batsmen to get to the top ,particularly in the closing stages.

There was hardly anything between the sides and with a bit more adrelanin flowing England could have won it even 3-0.However overall India were deserving winners.Sad that the final game was played in dead rubber.I have rarely sen a bowling attacks fight as relentlessy as the English one in the final game.

Long live the spirit of O.D.I.cricket!

 

[Ankit007]

Yes it was one of the best.. just like Aus vs Ind series... It also had amazing moments. Kohli fastest century, Faulkner hitting 30 in one over... Similarly this series was one to remember....

 

[Midwinter13992]

India vs Australian 2013 ODI series was better

 

[Harsh Thakor]

India vs Australian 2013 ODI series was better

as much intensity in finishes and as strong resilience of both teams?

 

[Pollack]

India vs Australian 2013 ODI series was better

No. This series was better.There was at least a little help for bowlers.Just that both teams have mediocre bowling and awesome batting lineups.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

No. This series was better.There was at least a little help for bowlers.Just that both teams have mediocre bowling and awesome batting lineups.

Don't think so.

In fact, if anything, I remember Indian bowling being awful in 2013 series. Its just that our batting saved us and overpowered our bowling's screw ups.

In this series, our bowling fought tooth and nail (for most part - we had our screw ups) and still conceded so many runs.

2 reasons:

1. Pitches
2. Incredible English batting

 

[Stallion__]

Only if last game wasn't a dead rubber. Neutrals generally lose their interest after series is decided.

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

One of the worst ever. Highway pitches , miniature size grounds, plethora of trundlers and darters . It was a carnival of runs.

 

[Statsman]

Bakwaas series.

Compare to the pitches in 2011 world cup where we saw for the last time some competition between bat and ball.

 

[R0H1T]

Bakwaas series.

Compare to the pitches in 2011 world cup where we saw for the last time some competition between bat and ball.

At the risk of repeating myself, two new balls ~ that is the main reason IMO, pitches will always be flat in ODI but spinners & reverse swing are nowhere to be seen these days, unless the track is really dry &/or abrasive.

One of the worst ever. Highway pitches , miniature size grounds, plethora of trundlers and darters . It was a carnival of runs.

Definitely, the first 4 matches of Ind/SA series were much better, then we had the road at Mumbai.

 

[Ab Fan]

No..The result was out before the last match was played.

The last game was a dead rubber. So it can't be called as the best ever series.

 

[cricjunkie2]

LOL @ best series ever.

It wasn't a snorefest that i feared it would be. But yet another cowlashing series, that pretty much had only one dimension of cricket on display - batting. It's hard to get excited about a chase of 380 when you know fully well that the only thing that can stop the batting team is self-induced mistakes and/or the asking rate.

The last time India played a quality ODI series whose outcome really mattered was in 2008 - the CB series between Australia, India & SL. Dhoni had just become ODI captain and he led a young team to victory against an all time great Aussie ODI lineup. It was an allround team display that showcased a variety of skills. It was a series that would change the future of ODI cricket forever.

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

There should be a law that the shortest part of the ground should be atleast 75m

 

[MenInG]

There should be a law that the shortest part of the ground should be atleast 75m

Same conditions for both teams so shouldn't matter

 

[aniket1911]

There should be a law that the shortest part of the ground should be atleast 75m

So you want to ban NZ from.playing then?

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Same conditions for both teams so shouldn't matter

Big disadvantage to the team batting first imo. Also so many top edges going for six and leading edges going for 4 doesn't make for good cricket. I certainly don't think it's fun to watch.

 

[aniket1911]

It's one of the best, I think. Had it been any other team other than England, I don't think, we would have been seeing such high scores. Even Australian batting line-up doesn't inspire confidence nowadays. Save for SA, no other team would have given as much fight to India as England did.

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

Same conditions for both teams so shouldn't matter

In the context of good competitive cricket it is needed . When edges are comfortably clearing the grounds ,you know you have a problem

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

So you want to ban NZ from.playing then?

Develop / Renovate grounds.

 

[Pollack]

It's one of the best, I think. Had it been any other team other than England, I don't think, we would have been seeing such high scores. Even Australian batting line-up doesn't inspire confidence nowadays. Save for SA, no other team would have given as much fight to India as England did.

Exactly if its not spinning this England team is a monster. England's batting inflated the scores this series. England's poor bowling(barring last match) and India 's individual batsman brilliance each match enabled India to match England's batting prowess.

 

[Pollack]

I do not think its best series though.Not even close.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

One of the worst ever. Highway pitches , miniature size grounds, plethora of trundlers and darters . It was a carnival of runs.

I concur. IMO Pakistan vs WI was the best series of this decade.

 

[TestMatch]

As a neutral, I found it dull. I liked Kohli's ton, but then it became apparent that everyone was finding it easy to make runs. Liked seeing UV Singh again, though. I'd forgotten how fun he is to watch.

 

[hass]

What because of the ridiculous amount of runs scored? Hardly any swing on the ball? If anything it's sad to see ODI cricket become such a batsman's paradise. They should reverse engineer some of the changes to the game to give some impetus back to the bowlers now. They've been hung out to dry.

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

It's far from it.

Any person with half a brain would agree that it was a batting fest with mediocre bowling attacks and incredible batting lineups.

A great series would have promoted the game. This series promoted the art of batting on small grounds. I mean seriously, some of the sixes were just 70-75 metres ����

Spare a thought for an aspiring bowler. Who would want to be a bowler these days?

 

[jnaveen1980]

Not sure what kind of metrics decided that this is the best ODI series ever.Great series for few individuals. It is another run of the mill ODI series

 

[R0H1T]

The best ever, SA vs Aus in 2000 under the millennium dome comes to mind. Probably the best 3 match ODI series I've ever seen.

 

[Buffet]

I found it boring.

 

[Tekcirc]

Tbh, this series was utterly boring. High scoring yes. Close games yes!! But simply did not have the appeal.