Wisden 20:20 - On the spot

India vs England, 3rd Test, Day 4, Headingley, Leeds

Conditions at Headingley are traditionally as English as fish and chips, but it was India’s bowlers who showed a greater awareness of what to put on the menu in this match.

As our graph shows, they pitched virtually three-quarters of their deliveries on a good length in the first innings, happy to let an increasingly spiteful pitch do the work for them. It's not exactly rocket science, but it was an approach that eluded England.

They, by contrast, found a good length only 51% of the time when India batted, and were short with a criminal 39% of their deliveries. This would be poor bowling at the best of times, but is even worse on a pitch like this.

Ajit Agarkar and friends showed that, when the ball is jagging and swinging around, it is imperative to consistently make the batsmen play. That was the key difference between the sides.

Earlier Wisden 20:20
Fair and square: Eng vs Ind - 2nd Test, day 2
Too short: Eng vs Ind - 2nd Test, day 1
Duck surprise: Eng vs Ind - 1st Test, day 5
The tone-setter: Eng vs Ind - 1st Test
Kaif's KO - Final: Eng vs Ind
At Last - Game 8: Eng vs Ind
The secret weapon - Game 7: Eng vs SL
Digging it in - Game 3: Ind vs SL

Rob Smyth is on the staff of Wisden.com. Exclusive from Wisden.com