*Official* India Tour of England 2018

[Cow Corner]

India's first innings this series, they were initially at 50-0 in 12 overs! Indian batting looked all so easy in those early overs when they were scoring at 4+ an over...how things have changed.

 

[the big bambino]

I'd still go with Buttler which means either Curran and Woakes to go. Which means making a choice btwn Woakes' batting and Curran's variety and I'd favour the latter. For India I wonder if Bumrah is fit and if available, pick Jadeja for Pandya.

 

[Daemon]

There's really not that many changes India can make to the batting based on the squad besides bringing Pant in for Karthik. Dhawan's just as bad as anyone he'd replace and Nair...idk. I suppose he could come in for Pandya but Pandya actually looks like one of our best batsman out there.

Bowling wise I'd swap the Yadavs and leave it at that.

 

[R!TTER]

The Amla 311*? Swann was playing in that one, but we left him out for the next test and went in with Pietersen as our frontline spinner

Then SMSgate happened, not before KP hit a match saving ton though. Can we get KP back into that dressing room, pretty please, he doesn't even have to play

 

[rparikh14]

Kinda hope India make wholesale changes to their squad if they lose 3rd test - but who is there that can handle the swinging ball better than the current batsmen?
Although our bowling has been excellent we really need to include Siraj in the squad - he’s taken 29 wickets in the last 7 innings he’s bowled in for India A.

 

[Daemon]

Siraj will need to get lucky with injuries to the rest. There's Ishant, Bhuvi, Shami, Yadav and Bumrah ahead of him in the order.

Much rather have him in the squad than Thakur though.

I think we should get Vihari in for the 4th and 5th Tests, for exposure if nothing else. He's scoring runs for fun and did well recently in the UK.

 

[jimmy101]

Dunno if many people here have read Sanjay Manjrekar's latest article on cricinfo, but just have a look at these eye-popping stats on India's batsmen in recent times...

Dire. It will be interesting to see how they fare without Kohli playing in the next test.

 

[morgieb]

Dunno if many people here have read Sanjay Manjrekar's latest article on cricinfo, but just have a look at these eye-popping stats on India's batsmen in recent times...

Dire. It will be interesting to see how they fare without Kohli playing in the next test.

Yeah brutal. Pujara might be worth keeping I guess as he can at least eat up some deliveries, but everyone else needs to go. Trouble is, I don't think Nair can do any better, and it could be suicidal to push their A-team players into this kind of arena.

 

[harsh.ag]

Tbf to Pujara, he's been run out by Kohli a couple of times.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah brutal. Pujara might be worth keeping I guess as he can at least eat up some deliveries, but everyone else needs to go. Trouble is, I don't think Nair can do any better, and it could be suicidal to push their A-team players into this kind of arena.

Do they though? Is there any point throwing away your best batsmen and fill the team with your next best (but not actually as good) just because they failed? At least these guys have had the experience of failing (learn from your mistakes right?)

If it's genuinely likely that the back-ups will do better then that's one thing, but cleaning out shop just because of pressure, ie. "they deserve to be dropped" doesn't make much logical sense

 

[Daemon]

Dunno if many people here have read Sanjay Manjrekar's latest article on cricinfo, but just have a look at these eye-popping stats on India's batsmen in recent times...

Dire. It will be interesting to see how they fare without Kohli playing in the next test.

Wonder what Ashwin and Bhuvs are averaging over the same period

 

[jimmy101]

Pujara doesn't deserve to be dropped, that's for sure. Apart from him, I think Rahane and Rahul will both get back into form eventually.

 

[Starfighter]

Wonder what Ashwin and Bhuvs are averaging over the same period

Ashwin 25 in four tests, one n.o., Bhuvi 33 in two, one n.o. Not a very big sample size we're dealing with here.

 

[morgieb]

Do they though? Is there any point throwing away your best batsmen and fill the team with your next best (but not actually as good) just because they failed? At least these guys have had the experience of failing (learn from your mistakes right?)

If it's genuinely likely that the back-ups will do better then that's one thing, but cleaning out shop just because of pressure, ie. "they deserve to be dropped" doesn't make much logical sense

Yeah that where the rest of my post comes into it. It's tough. But Dhawan and Rohit lack the technique for these conditions, Rahane's confidence looks shot, Vijay looks shot and Rahul lacks the defence for these conditions.

 

[Pratters]

Openers is a big issue. When openers can't last, they expose the middle order to the new ball too early far too often.

In the middle order, things can improve but it is not easy to fix the opening. I can see why Dravid opened with Karthik a bit now. When you don't have a viable solution, you go with some one who can block the balls at the top.

 

[marc71178]

I'd still go with Buttler which means either Curran and Woakes to go. Which means making a choice btwn Woakes' batting and Curran's variety and I'd favour the latter. For India I wonder if Bumrah is fit and if available, pick Jadeja for Pandya.

In Tests it's arguable that Woakes is better with the bat then Buttler even before you look at his bowling and in any event picking Curran for variety when Woakes is a better batsman and bowler seems a stupid idea.

As for dropping the 3rd seamer to play a 3rd spinner, you are aware the game is being played at Trent Bridge aren't you?

 

[CasMcG24]

Openers is a big issue. When openers can't last, they expose the middle order to the new ball too early far too often.

In the middle order, things can improve but it is not easy to fix the opening. I can see why Dravid opened with Karthik a bit now. When you don't have a viable solution, you go with some one who can block the balls at the top.

You are right but it's always been an English problem since I came into this world... I feel you/we should be aiming for a balance but the route cause of this problem is never easy. Is it the weakness of the County Championship.... I don't feel It is that week or something else... Are we training batsman to become specific position players? In football there is a difference between back pocket, ruck rover and full forward so is there differences in the way we bat in a line up? The tactics in ODI's has changed considerably for test matches they have stayed the same? Not sure but it is a problem for England but then every team has like problems from time to time we can be blind to what's going on around the world so maybe not as broken as first thought. I don't feel England are bad just under performing but then that's another English problem of prevalent pessimism.

 

[Pratters]

Talking about india here Cas.

 

[CasMcG24]

Pujara doesn't deserve to be dropped, that's for sure. Apart from him, I think Rahane and Rahul will both get back into form eventually.

Playing two bowlers into form or trying is dangerous one yes but if they don't hit their screws that's almost half the bowling attack being nursed

 

[CasMcG24]

Talking about india here Cas.

Oops! just woke up and pre coffee ignore the link English openers can be slotted in anywhere at any time... No dig! X