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

[Shri]

Hi SJS.. great to see back posting semi-regularly here but I respectfully disagree. Not sure how much of the series you caught but there have been umpteen instances when Parthiv has not stayed down for balls he should have and grabbed at balls he should not have. I do not see any real improvement in his keeping technique which is obvious with the amount of diving he still does to take balls that only deviate a bit, compared to Saha or even Dhoni, who is extremely flat footed himself when it comes to moving with the deviation. He does not have the amazing skills Dhoni does as a wicket keeper to the spinners or the traditional strengths that Saha has as a keeper to spin. He grabs at the ball, gets himself into awkward positions and messes up more often than not. You can say he has improved in the sense that he makes mistakes around 40% of the time now compared to the 60% it was earlier but he is still nowhere near the international class keeper we need in the side.

And as far as that catch goes, yes, you are right in that he did move with inline with the spin and bounce but come on SJS, when we keep, we KNOW that a glove is always the easier one to catch than a nick, there are those few micro seconds more time to adjust and catch the ball off the soft impact than a hard edge or a fine edge, both of whom can cause deviation faster.

Yeah SJS made a load of justifications for a sub par keeper dropping a regulation catch at the international level.

 

[Shri]

I mean, a great keeper would have taken the catch clean and a decent one would have let it go to first slip.

 

[fredfertang]

What took me by surprise in the series was how good the Indian bowlers were. I was completely wrong about Ashwin and Jadeja, both of whom had a degree of control haven't see since the good days of Swann and Monty - as for Shamsi and Umesh Yadav I dread to think what they'd achieve in seam friendly conditions

Batting was more what I expected - Kohli was always going to avenge the indignities of 2014. No surprise that Pujara came good and that the others all had at least as many good days as bat

They did have a **** 'keeper though

 

[Rootfan]

Funny to see the "in these conditions" caveat being added by Cook and co every single time. When it wasn't this it was whinging about the toss. This is the bloke who averages 39 and 35 vs the 2 best bowling teams of his time. Maybe he should also use "in these conditions" to talk about Root who has got 8/11 tons at home (and you could also nitpick his away tons...WI, dead pitch first test this India series and probably the worst SA bowling attack since 1992 w/o Steyn/Philander..but let's let that slide) and of course James Anderson who's the fast bowling equivalent of Jadeja and needs clouds at Trent Bridge to perform well. Far superior players like Ponting, Ab De Villiers and Inzamam have taken defeats in India with grace and dignity. Also, it was great to see Root getting owned after his pathetic antics.

Brilliant by India to win after losing the toss and conceding 477.

 

[Niall]

England snubbed Somerset spinner Jack Leach due to concerns over bowling action | Daily Mail Online

That is poor from England to leak that, surely if their was issues over his action,he would have been called or at least we would have heard some moaning over last few years through the media, twitter etc?

Also Pakistan would not challenge India at the moment, Yasir may be at a similar level to Ashwin, but after that Pakistan have no spinner at the level of Jadeja or even Mishra. Ashgar could be a gun long term, but until he bowls in international cricket, jury is very much out.Nawaz the third choice spinner didn't exactly terrify the West Indies either.

Heck, even comparing pace options, India have more depth when you look at a scrub like Rahat. India are just to damn good right now.

 

[theegyptian]

Should Cook step down I hope they at least consider the options. There aren't many but they could at least consider Bairstow. Broad's probably a step back being in the wrong age group (+injuries), and Stokes whilst a leader on the field and in the changing room will be overburdened should he get the job. It seems the media have already anointed Root as Cook's successor - but Cook was selected in similar circumstances and hasn't been a particularly good captain. Root hasn't always had the most glowing of endorsements as a potential captain.


Slightly left field suggestion but England might consider Jennings in the middle order. It would allow Root and Cook to stay in their current positions. Jennings looks a little vulnerable against pace to me - he flirts away from his body with an angled bat and doesn't get a massive stride to the ball on the front foot. I thought he played spin well though. The middle order needs another accumulator imo. Stokes, Bairstow, Buttler, Ali are all guys who aren't adept at batting long periods or accumulating runs. They are aggresive boundary hitters. Ideally I think you have some contrasting players in there. It would be nice to have him at 5 although it's hard to get him there unless Stokes or Bairstow bat 4 (or they bring someone in from outside). Bairstow at a push could maybe bat 4 if he gave up the keeping. If Jennings batted 4 which is an option, you'd still have Stokes, Bairstow, Ali/Buttler all together which is what I was trying to avoid.


I think it's too funky probably, and they should just let him bat where he's comfortable and has scored his runs in first class cricket, or as close to it. It's a big move for the selectors to make because if they get it wrong they get castigated further for batting a guy out of position. If he fails as opener/3 no-one particularly blames the selectors.

 

[Burgey]

Apologies. Best I could do.

There's too much empty space in the photograph.

Yeah, most of it is atop Kohli's neck.

 

[S.Kennedy]

I've never seen Jennings but anything but an opener. He was actually brought into the Durham set-up as an outright opener, i.e. not somebody who was dropped in the middle and got pushed up.

 

[Furball]

Funny to see the "in these conditions" caveat being added by Cook and co every single time. When it wasn't this it was whinging about the toss. This is the bloke who averages 39 and 35 vs the 2 best bowling teams of his time. Maybe he should also use "in these conditions" to talk about Root who has got 8/11 tons at home (and you could also nitpick his away tons...WI, dead pitch first test this India series and probably the worst SA bowling attack since 1992 w/o Steyn/Philander..but let's let that slide) and of course James Anderson who's the fast bowling equivalent of Jadeja and needs clouds at Trent Bridge to perform well. Far superior players like Ponting, Ab De Villiers and Inzamam have taken defeats in India with grace and dignity. Also, it was great to see Root getting owned after his pathetic antics.

Brilliant by India to win after losing the toss and conceding 477.

Root AND Anderson can't both be home track bullies, make up your mind.

 

[listento_me]

Cook had quite a sarcy press conference didnt he lol He was giving it the whole I am in there.

Anyway, sadly he has to go as captain BUT it's not the only major issue. England have suffered in the spin department and as well as Rashid has done in Asia (been England's top wicket taker by some margin) I dunno if he'd good enough to keep his place as the top spinner. Ali is a middle order batsman, who ideally should come in at 6 but he has been an absolute battler at 4/5 in the last few innings and considering he has been a yo-yo in the England batting line up, he still managed over a 1000 runs and 4 centuries. He is a rare English batsman (brought up in the English system) who is also a stylist. He should be kept in primarily on batting.

This takes us back to the central dilemma: England's away bowling and lack of world class spinner. Another call up for Batty? Or one of the young guns? There's at least 2 that have been mentioned after the previous county season.

Then again, the fast bowling stock isn't great either. For all the swing Woakes can get in England he is a wash in Asia. Plus his batting isn't good enough to warrant him a place as a lowdown batter. Wood seems he obvious replacement if fit and I feel his lower arm and skiddy pace would have been a better fit in Asia.

Jimmy and Broad are both nearing the end and probably getting their faster than I anticipated. Lots of question for the England set up in the new year. Cook out, possibly Woakes too with Jimmy and Broady hanging in there.

 

[Rootfan]

Root AND Anderson can't both be home track bullies, make up your mind.

Yes, they can.

 

[Pratters]

Root isn't that good, at least so far. He has promise but Steve Smith>>Root.

 

[Furball]

Root isn't that good, at least so far. He has promise but Steve Smith>>Root.

Are you high?

 

[Pratters]

Are you high?

Unrelated, ftr.

 

[Furball]

Yes, they can.

Well if conditions are easy to bat in then it follows that the bowlers should get credit for bowling well in good batting conditions.

If it's Anderson who relies on friendly home conditions then Root's done pretty well to get 8 tons.

Just ignoring his ton in South Africa because Steyn didn't play is ****ing nonsense as well.

 

[Immenso]

I'd bite your arm off for a captain who could win 4 out of 5 tosses in India.

 

[Rootfan]

Well if conditions are easy to bat in then it follows that the bowlers should get credit for bowling well in good batting conditions.

If it's Anderson who relies on friendly home conditions then Root's done pretty well to get 8 tons.

Just ignoring his ton in South Africa because Steyn didn't play is ****ing nonsense as well.

Without Steyn and Philander, the SA attack is much worse off, it is not even debatable. I am not "ignoring" it, but it is definitely worth noting. It would be akin to scoring runs in India vs an attack without Ashwin/Jadeja or in England vs an attack without Broad/Anderson.

The point is, Anderson/Root are every bit the home bullies Jadeja/Ashwin are,yet they have the gall to run their mouths while getting hammered and have a sook. They should learn from the Aussies/Kiwis/SA on how to be gracious in defeat. And as far as conditions go.. implying that conditions remain the same over 5 days especially in a place like England is disingenuous. Root still needs to score tough runs on difficult pitches away from home. Anderson is a proven failure away from home and he's not going to correct that at this stage in his career. At least Ashwin might(and Ashwin at least does well in places like SL, Anderson is a total failure even in places like SA, NZ, Aus).

 

[the big bambino]

Anderson basically won the 10/11 ashes series.

 

[Compton]

Is Joe Root really being called a home track bully immediately after averaging a baw hair off 50 in India?

 

[Spark]

Is Joe Root really being called a home track bully immediately after averaging a baw hair off 50 in India?

Haha yeah wtf.