***Official*** England in India 2016/17

[theegyptian]

Think the match situation dictated that India didn't score too quickly against the spinners. Being a long way behind the game after England scored 530 they had to be cautious. Pakistan bats also use the sweep shot a lot more, specifically against Moeen, which caused him lots of trouble.

Once it starts turning more in the games, + they are at parity in the game I think India will look to be more attacking against the spin.

That's why I'd be cautious of saying Rashid has cracked it on the basis of one game.

 

[listento_me]

Think the match situation dictated that India didn't score too quickly against the spinners. Being a long way behind the game after England scored 530 they had to be cautious. Pakistan bats also use the sweep shot a lot more, specifically against Moeen, which caused him lots of trouble.

Once it starts turning more in the games, + they are at parity in the game I think India will look to be more attacking against the spin.

That's why I'd be cautious of saying Rashid has cracked it on the basis of one game.

That's a good point. this isn't the first time Rashid has put in a good performance, in any format of the game BUT those performances are often book-ended but mediocre or bad days.

We just have to see if Cook can be aggressive with Rashid, in terms of field setting because that is what leggies require. He should speak to Imran Khan about that or Waugh.

 

[listento_me]

SA was last season. Are you counting the 2nd match which was rained out with India in an advantageous position?

Well whatever, I mean the last couple of series played in India at the turn of 2015/16 till now.

India still won every match batting first in this period of time.

Edit:

I want to add, it's not simply batting first but getting a big score, which is more than likely and the score board pressure on these types of pitches, especially if Ashwin is getting the ball to turn and Jadeja can compliment him. Teams become way too negative in response to that.

super edit:

Back in with regards to this series, a lot of people are saying that Ashwin didn't have a pitch that suited him but tbh, this wasn't a completely flat track. It had genuine turn and at times bounce in it. But spinners on both sides lacked enough control to pitch the ball where it needed to go. Rashid was probably the pick of the bowlers.

 

[Adders]

Well whatever, I mean the last couple of series played in India at the turn of 2015/16 till now.

India still won every match batting first in this period of time.

And the fact is mate that happened because the teams batting second weren't good enough to win those games.

Look you get "good tosses to win" everywhere, it is not unique to India or the sub continent........it is one of the aspects of test cricket. But I don't believe for a second that any toss ever decides a game.........a good team that plays well will always be in the game even if they are on the wrong end of the toss.

 

[Niall]

Younis aside the Pakistan XI aren't exactly Sehwag/Dravid/Tendulkar/Laxman, and they still hit our spinners for 4-5 an over in the UAE.

Misbah and Sarfraz are pretty epic v spin to be fair.

 

[Prince EWS]

Think the match situation dictated that India didn't score too quickly against the spinners. Being a long way behind the game after England scored 530 they had to be cautious. Pakistan bats also use the sweep shot a lot more, specifically against Moeen, which caused him lots of trouble.

Once it starts turning more in the games, + they are at parity in the game I think India will look to be more attacking against the spin.

That's why I'd be cautious of saying Rashid has cracked it on the basis of one game.

I still think he's largely not good enough long term but I think in the context of the team, a rocks-or-diamonds leggie with ten First Class hundreds fits really well, even outside the bigger turners. I'm going a bit off topic here because I'm thinking beyond this tour, but if he can average 20+ with the bat, break partnerships with the odd jaffa and have occasional diamond days then I think he's worth picking just because of the insurance Moeen provides for his off days, and the balance all three allrounders are already providing the side. Back at home the other options are to pick a fifth seamer, pick a prank batsman at five and waste one of the team's better batsmen at eight, or pick Buttler, bat him at eight and push Bairstow up to five. Buttler is tempting but I think Rashid offers more even though he's realistically not very good.

 

[Pothas]

Especially as Bairstow has kept pretty well recently, Buttler is nowhere near good enough a keeper to make it worthwhile.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Guys, just a thought, bowlers don't take 6fers every game.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Oh what the hell, might as well dig up another stat to prove my point since one is being ignored.

Since 2010, India have played 30 tests at home.

They've won the toss in 14 of those. Out of these 14 where they've won the toss, India won 10 tests, lost 2 and drew 2

They've lost the toss 16 . Out of these 16, India won 11 tests, drew 4 and lost 1.

Literally nothing points to the toss being an unfair advantage. I look forward to this too being ignored when people say the toss is all that matters in a few days time once again.

The toss is all that matters and you guys knew it and rigged the coin in the NZ tests. **** you

 

[Black_Warrior]

So would the fact that England played the spin so well and our spinners outbowled the home ones put India off producing the real turners from ball 1 or will they just revert to what has given them success of late?

I can't help but think back to the 2015 series where Rashid gave Pakistan a scare on Day 5 just like in this game. Pakistan did not have Yasir in that game and Ashwin did not pick up a truckload of wickets in this.

That being said, if I were India, I would still produce turners and back my batters to handle Rashid and Moeen.

 

[marc71178]

That's a good point. this isn't the first time Rashid has put in a good performance

In Tests it definitely is.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

So Woakes has a "niggle" then coming into this game. Welcome back Jimmy.

 

[91Jmay]

In Tests it definitely is.

Apart from the 5fer against a very good batting line up.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Apart from the 5fer against a very good batting line up.

And the 4fer the week before in one spell.

 

[Prince EWS]

Apart from the 5fer against a very good batting line up.

Taking 0/1000 in the first innings at almost 5rpo kind of put a damper on that though.

He's had good spells before -- even good entire innings. But I think it's fair to say this is the first time he's had a genuinely good Test. He's only played six of them so it's not a massive criticism per se but I still think it's accurate.

 

[Adders]

So Woakes has a "niggle" then coming into this game. Welcome back Jimmy.

Hahaha........exactly what I thought when I saw the cricinfo headline.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Taking 0/1000 in the first innings at almost 5rpo kind of put a damper on that though.

He's had good spells before -- even good entire innings. But I think it's fair to say this is the first time he's had a genuinely good Test. He's only played six of them so it's not a massive criticism per se but I still think it's accurate.

Look England almost won that test match were it not for time and it was all because of his 5fer. His bowling created that situation which otherwise would have been a tame draw. I would describe that as a good test match. I think it's more the fact that he was useless for the rest of the series and England ultimately lost 0-2 that devalues this performance.

 

[Shri]

Hope Anderson plays. Would be about as effective as Woakes at Vizag but his reputation might make Cook give him a few overs, which our batsmen wouldn't mind instead of facing spin. As long as it isn't reversing, of course.

 

[Black_Warrior]

What's the word on the pitch?

 

[GIMH]

Hope Anderson plays. Would be about as effective as Woakes at Vizag but his reputation might make Cook give him a few overs, which our batsmen wouldn't mind instead of facing spin. As long as it isn't reversing, of course.

Have you seen his record in India?