David Lloyd - Bumble Test Diary: England will smash the Aussies (twice) but India need to forget IPL razzmatazz and get serious about Test cricket
Alastair Cook said he was nervous going into the final day and feared one bad session could cost England but their two Bears (Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell) played wonderfully well. They helped themselves to a century each and, in the end, it was a very comfortable series win as expected. But this was also an epic win, an outstanding performance.
SMILES BETTER FOR FLOWER
I've never seen coach Andy Flower with such a wide smile on his face. He understands what England have achieved. To turn India over in their own backyard is as good as any Ashes win, it's the holy grail, you just don't do it. When India bamboozled England in the first Test, they asked for spinning pitches because they wanted a 4-0 win, but it backfired badly and England pounced.
IPL PARTY IS NO EXCUSE FOR FAILING TEST
India now have a massive choice. They either get real about Test match cricket or they concentrate on the IPL, which is a fantastic event but it's just entertainment, a seven-week party. It's light years away from the discipline of Test cricket. How interested the India players are can be judged by the debutant in this Test (Jadeja) who is already a millionaire from IPL! So why should he care about Tests?
Just not (real) cricket: Katy Perry (left) and cheerleaders have added much glamour and fun to IPL cricketKP'S CELEBRATIONS SHOW HE'S BACK IN THE FOLD
England have stabilised from the summer when the Kevin Pietersen issue dominated. There was a lot of love around during the celebrations at the end of the Test, particularly surrounding KP. And it was noticeable that Flower said 'we have had a tough time but we're back on track'. Yorkshire gold: Tim Bresnan (left), Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow (right) celebrate England's series win with a beer and signing each others shirts (PICTURE POSTED BY @timbresnan ON TWITTER) NOW FOR THE INTEGRATION OF THE YOUNG TYKESEngland go to New Zealand in the New Year who are second from bottom in the rankings. There can be no complacency and England must win in style. We've had the reintegration of KP and now look forward to the integration of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow as England get ready for the Ashes.
PICTURE DISPUTEWe are unable to carry live pictures from the fourth Test in Nagpur due to a dispute between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and international news organisations.The BCCI has refused access to Test venues to established picture agencies Getty Images and Action Images and other Indian photographic agencies. MailOnline consider this action to be a strike against press freedom and supports the action to boycott BCCI imagery.TWO SPINNERS MAY NOT GO IN FLOWER'S PLAN FOR WORLD DOMINATION
As for Monty Panesar, my experience of New Zealand is that you can play two spinners, and Flower acknowledged he has two world-class spinners. But he also insisted that it was three seamers and one spinner who took England to the top of the world and pointedly remarked that Graeme Swann took the most wickets on tour, so Monty may just play here and there. Friends: Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann (left) pose after the draw in Nagpur. Swann's team-mates have been ribbing him for looking like Chandler from the sitcom Friends (right)... Judge for yourselves... I EXPECT THREE WINS FROM ENGLAND'S NEXT THREE SERIESI am a betting man and I predict three series wins for England next year, in New Zealand and home and away in the Ashes. England are the better team with, crucially, better players on the bench. When the likes of Monty, Root and Steven Finn can come in and take over, you're laughing.
More from David Lloyd... BUMBLE AT THE TEST: The weather relents for Lanky Jim to draw level with Yorkie Fred 28/05/13 BUMBLE AT THE TEST: Locals stay away from Headingley... maybe there was too much competition 27/05/13 BUMBLE AT THE TEST: There are no £20 steak sarnies up at Headingley like Lord's 27/05/13 Bumble at the Test: Broad delivers the goods with wonderful response as England shine on day four 20/05/13 Bumble at the Test: Strauss happy to take the mic, while England make tourists feel very much at home 17/05/13 Bumble at the Test: Train noise drives me crazy, while Smithy shares his flight with pop stars 16/05/13 Bumble at the Test: England battle was dramatic but they must now show authority 26/03/13 Bumble at the Test: It started bad, got worse and England never recovered 25/03/13 Bumble at the Test: Call for a search party... England have lost their game heads 24/03/13 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE
