Payback Series or Deja Vu

India vs England series was billed as "payback" series for the miseries India suffered in England. Being one of the many Indian fans who went through a phase of severe depression during India's tour of  England 2011, I too wished that the English suffer the same Agony as India.

But as the series ended, the things I could relate between both the series was that, here in India, English Batsmen were Clueless, Bewildered and Confused dancing to the tune of the Indian Spinners on dusty subcontinent wicket. While in England it were the Indian Batsmen who hopped, jumped and ducked to the swing and bounce on the Green English wickets. If  young Suresh Raina seemed clueless against the swinging ball, then Jonathan Bairstow's expression after getting bowled by Jadeja was no different. If Indians after losing couple of matches started fielding like Donkeys, than English after losing first couple of matches fielded like one legged Donkey.

In fact the last time England won a series of any kind in India was in 1984-85; no matter how much they plan or how early they turn up, a tour of India usually seems to end up a discombobulating ordeal. In 2005-06 England lost the series 5-1, in the next tour the English were humiliated by 5-0, in the interrupted seven-match series in 2008-09. Here again in 2011, they are humbled by a scoreline of 5-0. So can we call it a Deja Vu?

In fact India in India are really strong with 27 wins in 36 over the last three years and only a single defeat in 16 home ODIs in the last 12 months.

There is no taking away anything from India's performance. They have been really professional and merciless with their spirited performance. But after all these, the series just proves only two things, one that India are exceptionally good at home and two that England are terrible on Indian soil.

It wasn't the revenge or avenge of their humiliation on the tour to England. It was not a Payback series. Some say that if the English had been whitewashed in the test series than it would have been the perfect Payback. 

But the "Payback if at all, has to be served to England in their den"

Till then Kudos to Team India for their dominating performance, Captain cool for retaining his form and tag, Ravindra Jadeja for his comeback and young Indian guns to keep our hope alive.