Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
Pope was dropped and released to play for Surrey, but all he’s had is a couple of white ball failures. There’d be no logic to recalling him. I think the assumption is that Malan will play.
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*Official Third Test at Headingley* 25-29 August
- Thread starter GIMH
- Start date
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Naaaaah. He's been given an awful lot of rope already and, as better judges than me have observed, he really, really, really doesn't look like a test player.
Since the start of the Pakistan tour last year (5th August, so just over a year) he's averaging 20.63 from 24 innings. Passed 50 thrice and made it to double digits in only half of them.
All at a strike rate of 31.54.
I honestly can't see a case for keeping him, other than paucity of other options.
I have been thinking about 3 seamers plus Ali being an option. Root and Malan can always bowl if a seamer breaks down.
1. Burns
2. Hameed
3. Malan
4. Root
5. Pope
6. Buttler (wk)
7. Bairstow
8. Ali
9. Overton
10. Robinson
11. Anderson
I think England are more likely to play 4 seamers plus Ali, but feel like this team actually looks good and might be the best bet from the squad to force a win.
1. Burns
2. Hameed
3. Malan
4. Root
5. Pope
6. Buttler (wk)
7. Bairstow
8. Ali
9. Overton
10. Robinson
11. Anderson
I think England are more likely to play 4 seamers plus Ali, but feel like this team actually looks good and might be the best bet from the squad to force a win.
Shri
Mr. Glass
after 36 all out in adelaide india strengthened their bowling and not the batting to be competitive
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Not sure that India are susceptible to part-time spinners in English conditions. Or that I want one of our spinners bowling once both opening bowlers have been given a rest. I'd be happier with four seamers plus Ali, with Pope missing from your side and Bairstow batting ahead of Buttler. Mahmood as the 4th seamer probably.
The other team I suggested was Mahmood over Pope, with Bairstow 5 (Buttler 6, Ali 7, Overton 8, Robinson 9). This was an alternative that looks decent.
Buttler has amazing stats at 6 that’s why I moved Bairstow to 7 with Pope at 5. Both team options look reasonable to me. One things for sure, I don’t want to see Curran in the playing XI considering form.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, I prefer your other option and I agree about Curran at present. Of course, any team we pick is perfectly capable of being walloped anyway.
Apex Predator
State Vice-Captain
Any idea of pitch & conditions?
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
Apparently dry. So India are toying with the idea of playing Vihari or Ashwin, it seems.
Manee
Cricketer Of The Year
Vihari would be a madness selection. Gotta be Ash.
Apex Predator
State Vice-Captain
Batting line up will be beefed up with Ashwin playing over Ishant. I think would be a great option if pitch is dry & sunshine is expected. Ash can be a key partnership breaker when nothing is happening for pacers.
Apex Predator
State Vice-Captain
Risky move at Headingley of all venues. Our batting is quite vulnerable. Ishant looked out of steam by the last day's end & his pace is quite down as well. Ashwin should get to play over him on pitch condition alone.jaddu averages like 50 past few years
promote him to 5, rahane to 3 and drop poojara
rohit
rahul
rahane
kohli
jadeja
pant
ashwin
ishant
shami
bumrah
siraj
we bat down to 10 so it'll be fine
Uppercut
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It's not that I'm a massive Sibley fan, though I'd definitely view his low S/R as a point in his favour, given his role in the team.
I just think the English selectors change batsmen too often, and don't give any of them the chance to get used to batting at test level. They need to choose someone and work hard to develop them into a decent player. Nobody is going to arrive from county cricket, where they're not scoring any runs because nobody is, and be good straight away.
So I'd rather they settled on someone, but should it be Sibley? The big drawback is that his limited technique probably gives him a lowish ceiling. But he's fairly young, and he's been good at FC level, and the candidate pool is so weak that that already puts him on a par with anyone else. Having already invested 20-odd games in him, it seems counter-productive to change him for another underwhelming prospect now.
I hadn't seen Hameed before the last test. He looked worse than Sibley to me. But if he'd been playing regularly I wouldn't have wanted him to be dropped either.
You can’t keep picking someone forever (if they don’t perform*). In 2021 he’s played 10 tests and averages 19.77, had to be dropped. Hameed has form this season and was out of position at 3 - England took the piss last game batting him 3 below Sibley.
Last edited:
Flem274*
123/5
Players in positions with no depth can be very long term investments. Flintoff, Anderson and Broad were all held onto despite their statistics early. Ishant Sharma is a good example from the opposition.
There is always the risk of choosing wrong and creating a Lahiru Thirimanne situation (though even he hilariously has come somewhat good now), but picking good investments is what you pay selectors for. You don't want to end up picking the English equivalents of Blair Hartland and Blair Pocock to open together despite being terrible even at FC level. Eventually you have to accept the best you have is the best you have.
There is always the risk of choosing wrong and creating a Lahiru Thirimanne situation (though even he hilariously has come somewhat good now), but picking good investments is what you pay selectors for. You don't want to end up picking the English equivalents of Blair Hartland and Blair Pocock to open together despite being terrible even at FC level. Eventually you have to accept the best you have is the best you have.
CricAddict
Cricketer Of The Year
I really hope Ashwin plays today ahead of Ishant and Vihari. Jadeja too becomes more potent with Ashwin at the other end.
OverratedSanity
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Dropping Ishant would be madness imo. Bring Ashwin back but it has to be for Shami. You cant just retain a bowler because he memed a fifty. He wasnt bad with the ball but hardly good enough to sacrifice one of Ishant/Ashwin.
Arachnodouche
International Captain
You want Ishant on a dry pitch if there's reverse on offer. Shami-Bumrah exploits notwithstanding, that tail is almost certain to revert to its mean. Shami the bowler has been a release valve in both games.