Is It is unclear whether the Dalai Lama is a student of Bazball or prefers a more traditional Test approach, but if England need a bit of divine inspiration as they attempt to end a long tour on a high note, they have come to the right place.
Dharamshala’s most famous resident and well-known cricket fan invited the England team to meet him at his temple high in the spectacular mountains here, where the conversation may or may not have centered on Jonny Bairstow’s chances of achieving a great score on his 100th test.
Ben Stokes is not the sort of person to get too excited about a small talk with His Holiness (perhaps the Dalai Lama will be more excited at the prospect of meeting the England captain) and on Tuesday he seemed happier as he spoke enthusiastically about where your team is before the final. Proof.
This may be England’s first series defeat under Stokes and Brendon McCullum, but the captain believes his team is improving and has the perfect opportunity to show it on Thursday in front of around 6,000 away fans at this ‘bucket list’ venue. .
“If you take the results alone you would say, ‘Oh, we’re going backwards,’ but we’re not,” insisted Stokes, who has not overseen an England series win since winning in Pakistan 15 months ago. ‘The team and people have evolved enormously on this tour.
English bowler Jimmy Anderson trains in front of a stunning Himalayan backdrop
‘Progression does not always manifest itself with results. I think the way everyone has committed to becoming a better version of themselves here since the last time we played has been pretty obvious.
“When you know you’re part of something special, you want to work hard to keep your place on the team.”
To that end, Stokes is adamant there will be no end-of-period feel about the game, even if they historically find themselves in a place familiar to England teams in India with a 3-1 deficit.
“We’ll think about the plane and getting home when we’re at the airport,” Stokes said. “That’s just our mentality about playing for England, regardless of where we are or how long we’ve been away. “I won’t think about home until this game is over.
‘But that shouldn’t change our current state. This place is pretty special and an amazing place to come and play. We hope to have the crazy army here in force. “It will be a special game and it should be fun.”
The HPCA Stadium looked like a picture on Tuesday as England trained here for the first time in weather that may have been cold but at least dry.
The gardens that caused a test match against Australia to be moved from here last year have been rebuilt since the World Cup and look in perfect condition, while the pitch provided a big surprise for England. They expected a green closer; Instead, it looks excellent.
Captain Ben Stokes believes his team is improving despite the series defeat in India.
That means that, with Stokes himself likely to return to bowling in this match, England can maintain the same balance in their side and go back to playing the two spinners of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, whose spinner is sore after the longest workload of your life. in Ranchi but is ready for another long dish.
Jimmy Anderson, who needed just two wickets for his remarkable Test tally of 700, looked fit in practice after tightening up in the quad in Ranchi after the long break before the last Test and it could be that England make just one change , bringing Mark back. Wood for Ollie Robinson.
One person who definitely plays is Bairstow, who welcomed his family and close friends here on what will be an emotional occasion for an emotional man. While Stokes described his 100th Test earlier in this series as “just another game”, this is special for Bairstow.
“This will be more emotional for Jonny than it will be for me,” Stokes said. “I don’t need to go into detail about why that is, but playing for England means a lot to Jonny and his family.
“I’m very excited for him and he’s been pretty cheerful the last few days. He deserves all the talk about him this week.”
It’s a great match for Bairstow in more ways than one. He finished the World Cup last year, where he played his 100th ODI on this very ground, with his place at the top of the white-ball order far from secure and the same now applies to his Test position. .
Harry Brook is expected to return the next time England play Test cricket, against the West Indies in July, and someone will have to give.
There is no guarantee England will pick Ben Foakes at home despite his impeccable performance on this tour and the gloves could return to Bairstow. But if they keep faith in the Surrey man, as his form suggests, then the Yorkshire man is playing for his Test future here.
Jonny Bairstow will play his 100th Test for England in Dharamsala this week
“I’m satisfied with how I’ve played in this series,” Bairstow insisted yesterday. “I’ve had a couple of good plays, a couple of referee decisions and I’ve made a couple of bad decisions. That happens when you play against India in India.
“I’ve been hitting the ball well and I’m full of confidence going into this week. It’s an incredible place and an incredible occasion. Being there with some of my best friends enjoying the occasion is something I’m really looking forward to.”
A look at one of the most picturesque pitches in world cricket yesterday, with what looks like a flat pitch and certainly has short boundaries, suggests that this final Test, weather permitting, could set up for a timely Bairstow special.
And we can assume that His Holiness the Dalai Lama, known for visiting his home turf when India is in town, would enjoy that.