In fairness, that's whingeing about things that the team can control.The English media just whinge in different ways. "We lost which means are selectors are fools and/or our players didn't put their hearts into it.". It's probably slightly less annoying than whinging about the pitches or the umpiring but it's just a different manifestation of the same thing, really.
At this point I think a lot of you'll disagree with me but Mullah is the best option for captaincy for me. I've seen Tamim captaining BPL sides only and he was atrocious. Mullah has a good record captaining in domestic first class matches and has controlled aggressiveness about him which is merely noticable. He exchanged few with Bairstow when he came out to bat in the final innings as Bairstow was constantly on his ears when he was batting in the last session. He did not sledge but said something and bairstow edged one looping up right after. He came foreward face to face with Butler protecting his other mate who said something (not him) when Butler was advancing to the huddle in ODIs. Haven't seen this side of Mullah before. He's also aggressive in setting fields and good with bowling rotations in domestic matches from all accounts. Took the burnes in the final of bpl. Mushfiq should just keep and bat and I wish Mullah to be the next captain. About Tamim, I dont know, he might be too aggressive which might backfire with no control.Time to make Tamim captain IMO. He comes out publicly and says BD shouldn't be satisfied by simply competing, plays two brilliant innings, and essentially captains the side in the winning session.
Mushy panics and tweets out celebrations when India lose a match.
You do wonder exactly how Leach is somewhere is the queue behind Ansari and Rashid after the season just gone. Maybe some combination of not playing for a 'fashionable' county, looking more like a librarian than an international sportsman, and his batting being more limited that what we saw from the guys who were chosen. Even now there's some denial about that particular state of affairs. Hussain observed that he's become a better player in some people's eyes through not being part of this shambles. Nope, some of us just think that his performances in D1 of the CC merited selection above guys with significantly inferior records in the same competition. Would it have made a difference? **** knows, but given what we saw from Ansari and Rashid, I think we're entitled to ask why exactly they were chosen ahead of someone with a way superior domestic record this year.Most people were moaning about the selections before the tour. They just made it even worse by actually picking Finn for a game when Ball was there.
I still can't believe how much contempt the selectors continue to have for County Cricket.
Yea Leach being behind Ansari in particular is ridiculous. Whether Leach only got wickets because of a spin-friendly pitch or not is academic because he'll be getting similar conditions to bowl in anyway. I'd rather have Leach play than two of Ansari/Rashid/Batty. I understand the desire bits and pieces players in Bangladesh, but England had enough depth that Leach or someone else doesn't make much difference in reality to the tail because part of the depth is always wasted anyway. Could also have played another specialist batsman which would be handy given the attachment to Ballance.You do wonder exactly how Leach is somewhere is the queue behind Ansari and Rashid after the season just gone. Maybe some combination of not playing for a 'fashionable' county, looking more like a librarian than an international sportsman, and his batting being more limited that what we saw from the guys who were chosen. Even now there's some denial about that particular state of affairs. Hussain observed that he's become a better player in some people's eyes through not being part of this shambles. Nope, some of us just think that his performances in D1 of the CC merited selection above guys with significantly inferior records in the same competition. Would it have made a difference? **** knows, but given what we saw from Ansari and Rashid, I think we're entitled to ask why exactly they were chosen ahead of someone with a way superior domestic record this year.
Beyond that, the hubris behind resting players after our less than comprehensive win in the first test sent a pretty clear message to both sides. And Finn was only ever going to be non-existent in these conditions.
For anyone to suggest that this is the same as complaining about the pitch is just silly.
Yeah, I got the impression that this perception was a big part in why he wasn't selected, which, for the reason you gave, doesn't make much sense. Regarding his batting, I think he was involved in the fairly big last-wicket partnership which got Somerset a win, and I think he was involved in some other sizeable and important lower-order stands, so it would seem that he can at least keep his head under pressure.Yea Leach being behind Ansari in particular is ridiculous. Whether Leach only got wickets because of a spin-friendly pitch or not is academic because he'll be getting similar conditions to bowl in anyway. I'd rather have Leach play than two of Ansari/Rashid/Batty. I understand the desire bits and pieces players in Bangladesh, but England had enough depth that Leach or someone else doesn't make much difference in reality to the tail because part of the depth is always wasted anyway. Could also have played another specialist batsman which would be handy given the attachment to Ballance.
Ranatguna did not punch above his weight because he was heavy as ****I think cricketers who punch above their weight as players are generally good options for captain (Ranatunga, Ganguly, S. Waugh, Border), and for that reason alone I'd support AZH's suggestion of Mahmud ahead of Tamim.
Did punch Big Merv through the covers that one time.Ranatguna did not punch above his weight because he was heavy as ****
Ranatguna did not punch above his weight because he was heavy as ****
Glangugly wasn't the slimmest either.Ranatguna did not punch above his weight because he was heavy as ****
If he'd punched above his weight then he'd have been better than Bradman.Ranatguna did not punch above his weight because he was heavy as ****
er, welcome to 6 months agoNice to see Root taking the responsibility of batting #3
Think it would be interesting to see anyone else tour them, could see them doing okay against most oppo.Shame India aren't going to Bangladesh for a 3 match series coming soon. Would be fun and quite hard fought.