Roy’s spot at the top should not be in doubt

[King Pietersen]

Your #4 is a regular opener and he's at least made starts. Granted it's different opening but he probably would've done better than Roy, yeah.

Hasn't opened for Kent in years FTR. Was moved down to 3 in 2016 and has stayed there, so been a while since he did that job domestically. He'd probably do a better job than Roy, but I'd keep Denly at 4, and bring a recognised opener in like Sibley.

 

[Burgey]

I used to smoke Kent soft packs. They were the cigarette du jour for the wannabe Bohemian uni student in the late 80s.

 

[Daemon]

There's only one other Kent that I know of (funny enough I found it through watching cricket on dodgy Indian streams)

 

[Woodster]

I'm convinced woodster is a relative of Roy. Possibly his dad. He's been completely delusional about his credentials and performances in Tests throughout the whole the series.

When you see a batsman as supremely talented as Jason Roy is, we almost, as a national side, have an obligation to persevere with him at Test cricket and not deny the paying public the delights of his sublimely talented strokeplay. Of course there were going to be teething problems while he found his feet at this level, learnt the right tempo to his innings and maybe even found the correct spot for him to bat in, but patience is the key and he will reward.

 

[Daemon]

 

[Spark]

I mean, the Australian fans who have paid a lot of money to travel to England are certainly delighted, I'm sure

 

[Pup Clarke]

Yep, he's never going to work out. It would be like opening with Rohit Sharma in tests, and tbh I think Rohit would probably do better.

 

[Daemon]

Yep, he can slot nicely behind Guptill and Finch in the list of outstanding ODI opening batsmen who make rubbish test openers.

 

[cnerd123]

Just let Jack Leach open the batting again.

 

[greg]

I’m not sure why Roy having showed a complete inability to adapt his game for the requirements of test match batting - not chase every loose ball and show some patience - is going to suddenly change just because he is shunted down to no4. It’s hardly as if he County record is so good that he demands inclusion somewhere in the team.

The prevailing view seems to be that he has failed “as an opener”, because he is unsuited to being an opener. But the ways he has been getting out suggest a far greater problem with Test cricket than just facing the new ball. There is a difference between an opener failing just because their defensive technique isn’t quite up to the unique challenges of facing the new ball, and failing because they can’t adopt a mental approach that means they constantly get out playing illjudged attacking shots. The latter is a basic requirement of any test match batsman.

 

[Adders]

Did you watch Ben Stokes bat in the second dig at Headingley?

 

[greg]

Did you watch Ben Stokes bat in the second dig at Headingley?

Who me? When I wasn’t hiding behind the sofa! The way he batted rather justifies my argument I would say!

 

[Uppercut]

How would he go opening away from home? Lots of batsmen like him have done well in India or Australia.

 

[morgieb]

How would he go opening away from home? Lots of batsmen like him have done well in India or Australia.

 

[Starfighter]

I expect Roy to score one jammy good innings in one of the next two tests and for someone to never shut up about it despite it being a total fluke that in no way justifies the selection logic.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

He's down to 4 for the next Test, so I guess the doubt existed.

 

[Burgey]

If I was a Pom and he had to play, I’d be happier with him at six, though this move is an improvement. What’s Buttler doing in the side hiding at seven as a specialist bat ffs ?

 

[Woodster]

Yes a shame to see Roy dropped into the middle order, certainly a more preferable move than seeing him completely dropped from the XI. He has struggled at the top in this series so far, admittedly, but he was always going to be the kind of player that needed time and reassurance to play his own game. There is logic to dropping him down the order, though there’s still a fair chance he’ll be in inside the first five overs if he bats four.

 

[Burgey]

His trajectory is so much like Arun Finch's in the test side. If they'd both been picked at 5 or 6 then they could potentially have done a fair bit of damage against the older ball. But given the lack of options, they've been thrown in at the top and have been woeful.

 

[Starfighter]

Seems that Roy's spot at the top was in fact doubtful. While he'd be best at 5 or 6 I certainly think he has a greater chance of scoring some significant runs now.