*Official* 2nd Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, 13 - 17 Feb 2021

[flibbertyjibber]

I know the policy is to rest and rotate Broad and Anderson so they'll be there for the next Ashes, but are you really going to DROP Anderson after that performance (especially if the pitch is as abbrasive as that pic suggests)?

I thought that was a joke picture but Broad is useful on pitches like that with his height and the uneven bounce. As for the rotation, it is working so far as we have won 3 in a row and the last 6 away.

 

[Groundking]

I know the policy is to rest and rotate Broad and Anderson so they'll be there for the next Ashes, but are you really going to DROP Anderson after that performance (especially if the pitch is as abbrasive as that pic suggests)?

Like Broad isn't good when it's swinging? Also reckon he'll (Broad) get more movement of the surface with the way the pic looks.

 

[Bahnz]

So play them both.

 

[honestbharani]

The main reason you dont risk Anderson playing back to back now is the factt that India could well win the toss and bat long, which may end up leading him to not be ready for the day night game at Ahmedabad.

 

[centurymaker]

Sure

I know the policy is to rest and rotate Broad and Anderson so they'll be there for the next Ashes, but are you really going to DROP Anderson after that performance (especially if the pitch is as abbrasive as that pic suggests)?

Surely you would rather India make the final than England or Australia because if it is the latter two I give NZ a very low chance of winning the WTC. On the other hand, if it is India, I am sure NZ will be more or less favourites in English conditions, especially after having two matches against England and India having a joke of a record in 1st Tests away and vulnerable against the swinging ball.

 

[centurymaker]

The main reason you dont risk Anderson playing back to back now is the factt that India could well win the toss and bat long, which may end up leading him to not be ready for the day night game at Ahmedabad.

There is a one week gap between 2nd and 3rd Test so Anderson can still play first 3 Tests and rest in the 4th one. But yeah I understand why they would rotate him.

 

[Bahnz]

Oh definitely, but I'm just looking it at from England's point of view, and if I were them I'd definitely want Anderson in the 2nd test.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

I think he's just posting from the English perspective.

 

[Burgey]

but are you really going to DROP Anderson

Yessss. Yessss. Good.

 

[Howe_zat]

Ftr the toss has traditionally not decided matches in Chennai.

 

[cnerd123]

Wtf India have only won 1 toss at Chepauk in the last 20 years??

Maybe Shastri is the panauti after all.

 

[honestbharani]

Guess the one toss we did win was Rahul Dravid as captain. Rest were all panautis.

 

[karan_fromthestands]

I thought that was a joke picture but Broad is useful on pitches like that with his height and the uneven bounce. As for the rotation, it is working so far as we have won 3 in a row and the last 6 away.

That's what something every team needs to do. If you lose, you might look like an idiot, but rotating the players is always the best approach in tests. If a couple of your key players are injured, you don't have to worry about the replacement either because you've kept more players in the mix and know what to expect from replacements. Again, it's a bold step, coz critics would blame the player rotation policy if England fails.

 

[honestbharani]

If we are considering rotating the bowlers, I would play this line up for India, even though Sundar looked awesome in the first inning:

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Virat (c)
Rahane (vc)
Pant (wk)
Ashwin
Shardul
Kuldeep
Ishant
R Chahar

 

[karan_fromthestands]

If we are considering rotating the bowlers, I would play this line up for India, even though Sundar looked awesome in the first inning:

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Virat (c)
Rahane (vc)
Pant (wk)
Ashwin
Shardul
Kuldeep
Ishant
R Chahar

This side looks perfect, would probably go for Axar over Chahar if he is fit. If the pitch is flat and slow on Day 1, someone like Axar can stop the flow of runs from one end. That's something Axar is good at considering how much he has bowled on the flat Rajkot wicket. Also, his pace and the skidding arm-ball(which keeps low) that he bowls makes it difficult to play the sweep against him. Nadeem couldn't adjust to the slowness of the wicket and was easy to pick.

 

[honestbharani]

This side looks perfect, would probably go for Axar over Chahar if he is fit. If the pitch is flat and slow on Day 1, someone like Axar can stop the flow of runs from one end. That's something Axar is good at considering how much he has bowled on the flat Rajkot wicket. Also, his pace and the skidding arm-ball(which keeps low) that he bowls makes it difficult to play the sweep against him. Nadeem couldn't adjust to the slowness of the wicket and was easy to pick.

Sure, if he is fit but it is a big if and given that there is the risk of the injury flaring up again, I might go with Rahul. But if Axar is fit enough and clears fitness tests, then sure.

 

[centurymaker]

Ftr the toss has traditionally not decided matches in Chennai.

View attachment 27212

Thats only because its been India playing in India- that they usually make up for the disadvantage from losing the toss.

But whoa I was just saying earlier that India only wins about 1 in 3 tosses vs teams like Australia and England, and to see that they have only won 1 toss in 9 at Chepuak is even more absurd.

How does India keep losing tosses so frequently given these are not small sample sizes. I remember that Dhoni was on some sort of crazy streak once.

About time they got rid of the toss so at least in away games, india would get to choose first.

 

[centurymaker]

Agarwal
Gill
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Pant
Ashwin
Axar/Chahar
Kuldeep
Ishant
Bumrah

India must win the next match so have to play 5 proper bowlers. Sundar is a batting all-rounder so I wouldn't pick him.

 

[Blenkinsop]

Everyone seems very keen to pick Kuldeep. Last time India toured England he bamboozled everyone for the first Test and then got found out and wasn't a threat afterwards. Has his bowling developed since then?

 

[Woodster]

For me it’s fanciful to think that Jimmy and Broad can play every game or even back to back Tests in certain cases. Jimmy is still producing such performances as he did in the last Test because he’s well looked after and his workload is constantly monitored. Back to back Tests in India where I imagine the home side will bat much better in the second Test is an unnecessary risk for Jimmy when we want him available for the day/nighter, surely?

If the series is still in the balance for the fourth Test we’ll want him in then aswell, he can’t play all four and the second Test represents the best chance for him to catch a breath.