*Official Third Test at Headingley* 25-29 August

[CricAddict]

This thrashing is a huge blessing in disguise for India. Ashwin will be in next test, India won't play 4 bunnies again, Either Pujara or Rahane will go out and Kohli's captaincy will be under the scanner.

Also, we can look at this as the first test of a 3 test series which India invariably loses. India will lose this and get the next two.

 

[Teja.]

3-5 stats update. It's getting worse and worse.

Pujara, Kohli and Rahane since the beginning of 2020:

 

[Adders]

Yeah, if we put England in and they got through the first session relatively well and were at ease afterwards it would have looked awful as well.

Our Test lineup has struggled to score 300 for a very long time now. Our neglect of this area has led to this type of ****show.

Of course, there is never any guarantees even when it's a really easy decision at the toss.

But India crushed England in every way day 5 at Lords. England's weakest suit is its batting by a long way, put them into bat here and straight away they're under pressure and India can keep their foot on the throat. By allowing Eng to bowl first Kohli gave us the chance to get in front in this test, obviously you can't expect the day to turn out like it did but that aside I don't believe for a second we'd be front running had we batted.

 

[Shri]

so if england figure out that roads are the way to go and take all the grass off the pitch at leeds, and it turns a lot, we are back in the series. ash in for jaddu (if jaddu is out injured), axar in for shami

pant laughing behind the stumps again every ball

 

[duffer]

Of course, there is never any guarantees even when it's a really easy decision at the toss.

But India crushed England in every way day 5 at Lords. England's weakest suit is its batting by a long way, put them into bat here and straight away they're under pressure and India can keep their foot on the throat. By allowing Eng to bowl first Kohli gave us the chance to get in front in this test, obviously you can't expect the day to turn out like it did but that aside I don't believe for a second we'd be front running had we batted.

I agree with you but my ire is basically that our batting is minnow standard these days

 

[Adders]

I agree with you but my ire is basically that our batting is minnow standard these days

If India's is minnow standard id say England's must be village lol

 

[Flem274*]

i don't think i've ever seen a batting unit of good players all decide to be out of nick at once for 18 months before.

i'd believe one or even two having an extended slump, but pujara/kohli/rahane are being silly. they're better than this.

 

[OverratedSanity]

i don't think i've ever seen a batting unit of good players all decide to be out of nick at once for 18 months before.

i'd believe one or even two having an extended slump, but pujara/kohli/rahane are being silly. they're better than this.

Rahane isn't unfortunately. The vast majority of his career has been thoroughly mediocre output. Pujara always had issues overseas but looks like he's declined badly too. Both should be sent home afaic.

 

[duffer]

Pujara and Rahane are done. I'm hoping Kohli can turn this around but his head doesn't seem right when at the crease. Rohit throws his wicket away all to often, Rahul wastes starts regularly.

DOOOM

 

[BoyBrumby]

If India's is minnow standard id say England's must be village lol

Yeah, I was only slightly less surprised by our century opening stand than us bowling India out for less than a ton.

Obviously the two are linked re scoreboard pressure or lack thereof, but India do have a quality seam attack and it is Headingley, so kudos to the ponytails.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

i don't think i've ever seen a batting unit of good players all decide to be out of nick at once for 18 months before.

i'd believe one or even two having an extended slump, but pujara/kohli/rahane are being silly. they're better than this.

Are they though?

All in their 30s and played a lot of cricket over the years maybe they are all past their best at the same time as not every player can go like the old Indian legends did and still be worth their place.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

**** Pujara
Marry Rahane
Kill Kohli

 

[Flem274*]

They're only early 30s, they should have a good 3-4 years left in the tank.

Is India's next assignment hosting us? Well you should win that easily, and blooding a new middle order we don't have plans for could help I guess.

Gill #3 and Vihari #5 are options.

 

[hendrix]

Is India's next assignment hosting us? Well you should win that easily

I'm quietly optimistic about that tbh.

 

[morgieb]

I can kind of buy Kohli hitting a wall - he's a eye reliant player in his 30's (though his dropoff at Test level has been rapid), but Pujara doing so is a little bit stranger, and as OS posted Rahane's been dodgy for a long time.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm quietly optimistic about that tbh.

In my head I know I should be, but my head also says "India in India" and "When NZ implode they don't half arse it e.g. Aus 2019"

 

[BoyBrumby]

They're only early 30s, they should have a good 3-4 years left in the tank.

Is India's next assignment hosting us? Well you should win that easily, and blooding a new middle order we don't have plans for could help I guess.

Gill #3 and Vihari #5 are options.

Is that the earliest ever Gambhir? Over two months before a ball is due to be bowled.

 

[Flem274*]

I can kind of buy Kohli hitting a wall - he's a eye reliant player in his 30's (though his dropoff at Test level has been rapid), but Pujara doing so is a little bit stranger, and as OS posted Rahane's been dodgy for a long time.

Rahane is a weird one since his ceiling is so high. His best is just as good as the fab 4, and his technique is perfectly good, but he finds new ways to throw it away between good balls.

Kohli defends wide/follows the ball, Pujara can't score straight. These are all obvious reasons for extended slumps even in high class players. Rahane just gets out. Doesn't like spin as much as an Indian should, but he's failing in pacer territory as well.

 

[Gnske]

That Rohit dismissal was almost English in its levels of putrid batsmanship.

 

[Apex Predator]

Pujara probably will be the only casualty for this test in best case scenario. That brings us two options Mayank or Suryakumar. Both are absolute beasts against spin & will bury sides even on rank turners in India. But who will be better fit in seaming conditions? Or This Winter in South Africa