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***Official*** India in England 2014

Watson33

U19 12th Man
England haven't got a chance. 2 of Root, Ali and Prior have to go on and get a score. I can't see that happening.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
I just think there is a lot of promising talented youth in and around this England team. If they had an experienced member in the team to lead them, someone like Allan Border (or and up and comer like Graeme Smith) then I think this England side could go places.
However, as it is, there are no great options: Broad and Anderson already make a lot of the bowling decisions, which needs a lot to be desired (as evident in this Test), Prior who himself is hanging onto his place by a thread, and then you have Bell, someone who doesn't exactly fill you with confidence.
If Root was more of a leader then I would opt for him but as he isn't, I think it's too early and unfair to burden him with the captaincy at the moment. You don't need to be a natural leader but it makes the job far easier, im my opinion.
Again, of course if you had someone who screamed captaincy you'd give it to him. But that's in an ideal world. You work with what you've got. The main question is "does England have a person who is a better candidate for captaincy of the English cricket team than Cook?". If the answer is yes, even if that person isn't a natural leader or someone who can lead for the next 10 years etc., then he should be captain. You don't not change the captaincy because there is no Graeme Smith or Allan Border as captain.

And in any case, Smith was a risk, no one knew he'd end up becoming such a successful captain over the journey. In fact, early days he made some errors. But he never looked as lifeless as Cook does as leader.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Anyone who doesn't think England are a chance didn't sit on the hill at the Basin Reserve and watch India be in the absolute box seat... almost a position of a guaranteed win, and then not finish it off.

This one isn't over. I'm sure all Indian fans would agree, and this isn't Gambhiring. India have in the past been unable to finish off overseas wins. Melbourne 2011, Joburg 2013, Wellington 2014.
 

Uppercut

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Anyone who doesn't think England are a chance didn't sit on the hill at the Basin Reserve and watch India be in the absolute box seat... almost a position of a guaranteed win, and then not finish it off.

This one isn't over. I'm sure all Indian fans would agree, and this isn't Gambhiring. India have in the past been unable to finish off overseas wins. Melbourne 2011, Joburg 2013, Wellington 2014.
They're just so, so on top though. England looked like they could do it for about five minutes when Dhoni was being a clown. The rest of the innings has been India either constantly looking like taking wickets or actually taking wickets.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Anyone who doesn't think England are a chance didn't sit on the hill at the Basin Reserve and watch India be in the absolute box seat... almost a position of a guaranteed win, and then not finish it off.

This one isn't over. I'm sure all Indian fans would agree, and this isn't Gambhiring. India have in the past been unable to finish off overseas wins. Melbourne 2011, Joburg 2013, Wellington 2014.
What's the equation - 200 odd runs, 2 batsmen at the crease and 3 players still to come with Test tons to their names? Of course England are in with a shout, even if India are in the driving seat.
 

morgieb

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Anyone who doesn't think England are a chance didn't sit on the hill at the Basin Reserve and watch India be in the absolute box seat... almost a position of a guaranteed win, and then not finish it off.

This one isn't over. I'm sure all Indian fans would agree, and this isn't Gambhiring. India have in the past been unable to finish off overseas wins. Melbourne 2011, Joburg 2013, Wellington 2014.
Wellington possibly notwithstanding, I don't think you were in the box seat to this extent in those games.
 

Teja.

Global Moderator
I know we have previous but we should win this, really. Jadeja and Sharma have both bowled beautifully this innings and the Bhuv was slightly down on pace but was keeping it tight. If Jadeja bowls reasonably well tomorrow the pitch should win India the game, basically.
 

Watson33

U19 12th Man
What's the equation - 200 odd runs, 2 batsmen at the crease and 3 players still to come with Test tons to their names? Of course England are in with a shout, even if India are in the driving seat.
One of which looks like he doesn't know which end of the stick to hold! The other score his 100 in a series that no-one can really be sure the legitimacy of. India win before tea for me.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
I know we have previous but we should win this, really. Jadeja and Sharma have both bowled beautifully this innings and the Bhuv was slightly down on pace but was keeping it tight. If Jadeja bowls reasonably well tomorrow the pitch should win India the game, basically.
Of course we should win. But that doesn't mean its not out of the question that we don't.

Honestly India were far more on top in Wellington than they were here (and they are seriously on top here, so that shows just how much that Wellington test was a lost opportunity - McCullum heroics notwithstanding of course)
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
The Wellington pitch continued to get better and better throughout the match.

This pitch on the other hand is pretty much the perfect Test strip. It started to deteriorate from day 4 and is taking turn and variable bounce.
 

Riggins

International Captain
31.2 136.4 kph, drawn forwards and edged behind, Ishant has another, India are in clover! Cook has to go


#standbyhookesy
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
This series obviously could get better for England, but it could get much, much worse. Ian Bell might score some runs this series, Anderson might bowl better, hell, Cook might even pull himself together.

But Virat Kohli and Che Pujara could find form, and India might drop Binny for Ashwin. Dhawan scoring runs is probably more likely to happen than Cook. If any of those very feasible things happen, this series could get very brutal, very quick.
 
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Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Of course we should win. But that doesn't mean its not out of the question that we don't.

Honestly India were far more on top in Wellington than they were here (and they are seriously on top here, so that shows just how much that Wellington test was a lost opportunity - McCullum heroics notwithstanding of course)

Yeah, when I left the ground mid-way through Day 3, NZ were about 200 runs behind in their second dig with 7 wickets in hand (and, more importantly, with KW back in the sheds). India were far more on top than they were here. They collapsed even further to be 150 behind with 5 in hand. There was no way India should have been chasing more than 50 in the second dig.

Then Baz, Watling and Neesham pulled off a miracle to draw the match.

Admittedly, the NZ side had more fight - seemingly - than this English side, with BJ Watling in particular proving the difference IMO.
 

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