England humiliation complete after collapse against India

England’s batsmen capitulated in abysmal fashion to hand India a 95-run win and a 5-0 series whitewash in Kolkata.

Having set the perfect platform of 129-0 in pursuit of India’s 272 target, the tourists lost all 10 wickets for 47 runs as the humiliation of a dismal series was completed.

Once again the England batsmen were unable to get to grips with the task in front of them and, bar opening pair Craig Kieswetter and Alastair Cook, there was nothing on display to show that the players had learnt from the last four games.

Earlier in the day Steven Finn ensured that the selectors will need to seriously consider making him a regular in all forms of the game, with a wonderful spell.

He took two wickets as England reduced India from 80-0 to 80-3, the only passage of play in the entire tour in which the visitors have been dominant, to finish with 2-47 from his 10 overs.

And when Stuart Meaker, retaining his place after a decent debut, removed Manoj Tiwary for 24, India were under the kind of pressure they experienced in England for the first since returning home.

However, MS Dhoni came to his side’s rescue for the umpteenth time. He paced his innings magnificently to finish unbeaten on 75 and scored 212 runs from 188 balls without being dismissed in the series.

Supported by a number of his batsmen, Dhoni put on a batting master-class in how to build and innings in ODI’s and how to bat Indian conditions. It isn’t the first time he has taught England this lesson during the series, yet England have failed to notice.

Cook and Kieswetter, who had some making up to do after an abject performance with the gloves, seemed to have taken some notes from the Indian skipper’s performance.

But when they were dismissed for 60 and 64 respectively in the space of eight balls it sent the cards tumbling.

Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja tormented the rest of England line-up for a third time as they exploited sharp turn on a wearing pitch.

Only Samit Patel (18) and Graeme Swann (10) reached double figures as India wrapped up the whitewash they thoroughly deserved.

With a T20 game still to endure for England, the tour can’t end quickly enough for this beleaguered side.

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