TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: England’s duck record is highly concerning, with openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley as well as Sam Curran – with a king pair – culpable on the final day against India
- An astonishing 37% of Burns/Sibley partnerships have not reached a third over
- Both openers went for zero in same innings for the first time in 531 home Tests
- England’s second-innings 120 was their lowest at home against India since 1986
For the first time in 531 home Tests, England lost both openers for a duck in the same innings.
They have suffered that fate five times abroad, most recently when Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss were both out for nought against Pakistan at Faisalabad in 2005-06.
Rory Burns’ duck was his fifth in 2021 alone, equalling the Test record for a calendar year, held by England’s Mike Atherton and India’s Pankaj Roy.
Against India in the second Test, England lost both opening batsmen – Rory Burns (left) and Dom Sibley (right) – for a duck in the same innings for the first time in 531 home Test matches
UNWANTED DUCK RECORD
England’s openers have now made 10 ducks in 2021, a record for any Test team in a calendar year.
Overall, Dom Sibley has made six ducks in 39 Test innings, Burns seven in his 50. An astonishing 37% of their partnerships have not reached the end of the second over.
In all, England have made 39 ducks in 2021, which is their second-highest annual tally, behind the 54 they made in 1998.
England’s Sam Curran (above) became the first Test batsman ever to make a king pair at Lord’s
Sam Curran became the first Test batsman to make a king pair (out first ball twice) at Lord’s, and the fourth by an England batsman at any venue – after William Attewell in 1892, Ernie Hayes in 1906 and Jimmy Anderson in 2016.
BUMRAH BELIES LOWLY AVERAGE
Before this series, Jasprit Bumrah had reached double figures in one of his 30 Test innings, and failed to get off the mark in 19 of them.
Since then, he has managed two career-bests: 28 at Trent Bridge, followed by an unbeaten 34 here. After arriving in England with a Test average of 2.26, he has now dragged it up to 5.00.
And Jasprit Bumrah outperformed his lowly Test average, scoring a remarkable unbeaten 34
Mohammed Shami had made only one half-century in 70 previous Test innings, but doubled that tally when he launched Moeen Ali for six.
ENGLAND POLEAXED CHEAPLY
The last time England lost a home Test after scoring more in their first innings than 391 was in 2001, when they managed 432 but were easily beaten by Australia.
England’s second-innings 120 was their lowest at home against India since 1986, when they were bundled out for 102 at Headingley.