*Official Third Test at Headingley* 25-29 August

[mr_mister]

Drop Pujara, move Shami up the batting order and bring in Ashwin

 

[honestbharani]

Ashwin for Shami is how I would go unless the pitch is really green and/or the weather forecast is well, typically English.

 

[CricAddict]

Bring in anyone for Pujara with Rahane at 3. Can't bring in Ashwin now that Shami scored a 50 but hope they do. Shami is just not that useful a bowler right now.

How about his usefulness as a batsman?

 

[Starfighter]

Is it too late for England to give James Hildreth a call?

 

[Uppercut]

Headingley is traditionally not great for spin. Surely there’s no chance they bring Ashwin in there after a glorious pace-led victory at Lord’s.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Fingers crossed Woakes will be fit, then we might get to see something like:

Rahul
Rohit
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Pant
Jadeja/Ashwin
Sharma
Shami
Bumrah
Siraj

vs

Root


Moeen
Woakes
Overton
Robinson
Anderson

 

[Jack1]

Jadeja is wicketless in the series. I think he may be dropped to make way for Ashwin, if I was picking India's team it's what I would do. Pujara's second innings 45 will save him from being dropped I think. Kohli and Rahane have struggled long term too - but are captain and vice captain. India need to keep with the 4 seamers that played the second test in my opinion.

England (and Wales) I would go with 1. Burns 2. Hameed 3. Ballance 4. Root 5. Bairstow 6. Buttler (wk) 7. Ali 8. Woakes 9. Robinson 10. Wood 11. Anderson. If Wood can't play then Overton in to bat 9 and Robinson bats 10. I'm assuming Woakes and Ballance are available for selection.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Toughie between Jadeja and Ashwin. Ashwin clearly the better spinner but our batting being rickety as it is, we might need Jadeja's batting more. And he does a perfectly serviceable job as a holding option, which is what you need when you have four seamers going well.

 

[sunilz]

Jadeja is also very useful to take care of over rate. Finishes his overs in 2 mins.

 

[honestbharani]

And his fielding got us a run out.

 

[honestbharani]

If it is a green top or the forecast is typically British, we should play the same team. If it is not either though, think we will need Ash's spin and batting more. I get the feeling one of the seamers will be due a rest too. Most likely Shami. They can't all play all 5 tests. Only thing is if Virat decides to go in for Shardul then.

 

[Arachnodouche]

If it is a green top or the forecast is typically British, we should play the same team. If it is not either though, think we will need Ash's spin and batting more. I get the feeling one of the seamers will be due a rest too. Most likely Shami. They can't all play all 5 tests. Only thing is if Virat decides to go in for Shardul then.

9 days between games though. Unless they tweak something in practice, which is all too likely considering recent record, they should be in good enough shape. Rest someone for the pancake at the Oval instead, that's a two day turnaround from Leeds.

 

[wpdavid]

There's talk of Wood's shoulder injury keeping him out of this one.

 

[Manee]

There's talk of Wood's shoulder injury keeping him out of this one.

I think there is no point risking it, regardless of what his tests say. Let him rest it. Clearly was a rough landing, repeated in a way the following day.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

England (and Wales) I would go with 1. Burns 2. Hameed 3. Ballance 4. Root 5. Bairstow 6. Buttler (wk) 7. Ali 8. Woakes 9. Robinson 10. Wood 11. Anderson. If Wood can't play then Overton in to bat 9 and Robinson bats 10. I'm assuming Woakes and Ballance are available for selection.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a Gary Ballance fan, but I don’t think he’s a viable option for England now, alas. You can’t recall him to the Test side in 2021 based on how well he played in 2014. He’s not been at his best even at County level the past couple of seasons.

Without wanting to be too negative I also don’t buy that moving Hameed from 3 to open is a silver bullet either. His record at 3 is bad because he was tried there when his form as an opener was at a career low, in the hopes that moving down a slot might help him get his game back in order (it didn’t). Maybe he'll get moved up anyway if Silverwood gets ruthless and cuts Sibley.

Honestly, I think Vince might be the best option at 3 if we just want a short-term fix for the rest of this series and then the Ashes. Not because I think he’d do very well, just less badly than the alternatives. (Maybe.) It’s no way forward longer-term though. I guess we’re just hoping that Pope gets his game back in order and cracks Test cricket at the 3rd(?) attempt - and that Stokes gets well of course.

 

[Apex Predator]

I'd play the same line up barring Pujara. That dude is finished & those 40 odd off nearly 300 balls doesn't means he is an automatic choice now.
Bring Mayank or Suryakumar in.. Headingley has decent bounce & ripe for stroke making.

 

[Daemon]

9 days between games

This is the worst thing I’ve read all month

What am I supposed to do in the meantime

 

[harsh.ag]

Open with Buttler. Just do it, England.

 

[harsh.ag]

This is the worst thing I’ve read all month

What am I supposed to do in the meantime

Celebrate winning the BOTM with hookers and coke

 

[sunilz]

This is the worst thing I’ve read all month

What am I supposed to do in the meantime

Pak vs WI test .