Nah, it's not set in stone. It seems bad because we have Binny instead of Rohit, which is just a bad swap. Rohit will add much more to the team than Binny is, especially considering how little he bowls. A bowling all-rounder who is a good bat, like Ashwin, can add a lot to the side. A 5 man unit can be really good for an attack, especially in the last innings. I would have felt more secure about defending 318 had Ashwin been there.
I absolutely agree that both Rohit and Ashwin would be massive upgrades over Binny. I was merely arguing the merits of Rohit over Ashwin. Six batsmen to me is much more important then five bowlers, even when the tail is strong. If you've got a wicket keeper or a bowler good enough to bat in the top six -- as India do at home -- then it affords you the luxury of five bowlers, but I don't think India have that luxury in alien conditions right now.
Anderson and Broad have been ineffective with the new ball all summer. It cost us the match & series at Leeds, and it'll probably do the same here.
I know you don't rate him but Plunkers has comfortably outbowled him this summer.
Yeah I would agree, and I don't mind Plunkett if he bowls properly. If he is bowling that short pitched nonsense he is totally useless but as a pitch up bowler he has clearly improved a lot.
I agree with you generally speaking but I think re: Ashwin the selectors are making the assumption that all away conditions are equal. Unless his form has fallen off terribly I'd really quite fancy him to take wickets against England in England. It's a very underrated place to bowl spin and England have a history of struggling against unorthodox spinners.
I probably like Woakes even more than you, but he should be pushing for a place in the top 6/7, not number 9.
Yeah I agree, I should have posted that he isn't batting low. If I bring in Woakes I am doing some other drastic stuff like:
Other than the very best, said struggles tend to happen away not on England
This. Weird discussion IMO. He hasn't bowled well in this game but he absolutely should be playing. I know there's speculation that he's not fit, but he does he actually have a known injury at all right now?
Which unorthodox spinners are you thinking of that were good vs. England overseas but not in England? There aren't that many in general but I remember Ajmal causing some problems during the on-the-take tour.
