*Official* 3rd Test - England v India - Keep all Discussion Here Please!

[James]

As requested.

 

[Anil]

This is the Indian team I would suggest for the 3rd test.

Sehwag
Jaffer
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Laxman
Bangar
Ratra(Patel)
Khan
Harb
Yohannan

Jaffer should be kept as opener even after the failure in the 2nd test mainly because Das is in even more pathetic form right now, but he should be cautioned in no uncertain terms re: the consequences of another failure.

According to me, Agarkar & Nehra should be removed and the reserves brought in, namely Bangar and Yohannan. Since Kumble has proved to be largely ineffective on foreign pitches, the spin department for now should be solely Harb and I would suggest using Tendulkar and/or Sehwag more. Ganguly can also pitch in to give some rest to the main bowlers.

As far as the English team goes, White is likely to be out, but since Tudor and Caddick are fit again(aren't they?), they don't have too many worries. In batting, there is little to worry about right now as all the batsmen and most of the bowlers have been among the runs. The only worry could be whether Flintoff will play. All the numerous replacements that they have had to do since the start of the series have worked so far, so that shouldn't be a worry too.

 

[Sulphate]

Das just got a century against Essex so i dont think that constitutes bad form anil. i think jaffer shud be ousted as he has looked rubbish in the two tests so far. altho having sed that i havnt seen him in any other matches so havnt seen how good he can be when in good form

 

[Anil]

Didn't know the latest news. Das had been out of form for quite a while. If he is back in touch, that's good.

I just saw the news, 165 n.o....I guess he is back then and Jaffer will go.

Jaffer failed in the 2nd test, I know, but he hit a 50 in the 2nd innings of the 1st test. He also got a couple of 50s on the Windies tour when he was given a chance midway through the series replacing Das. I don't think it is quite time to rubbish him yet. Das stayed on as opener for a much longer time and through a more miserable run of form.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Let's think about England

Gough - Out
White - Out
Cork - Doubtful
Flintoff - Doubtful
Jones - Doubtful
Caddick - Just Back
Harmison - Fit
Hoggard - Fit
Tudor - Not Sure. Out I thought?

Right... Hoggard, Harmison, Caddick, 1 of Kevin Dean, Martin Saggers, Kabir Ali

Four bowlers, and give Ian Bell a call. None of those four can bat, Headingley doesn't turn, and we need strengthened tail.

Key
Vaughan
Butcher (or Fulton... )
Hussain - capt
Crawley
Stewart - wkt
Bell
Caddick
Hoggard (!)
Harmison
Ali/Dean/Saggers

[Edited on 8/14/02 by Neil Pickup]

 

[Sulphate]

at least we got an excuse if india paste us ; half of england is out injured 8D :O

 

[marc71178]

Unfortunately I think Tudor is fit.

 

[luckyeddie]

I think that Tudor will play.

I would love to see Kevin Dean get a chance (wouldn't it be nice to see England with a leftie again for a bit of variety?).

Corky has a scan on Thursday, so he must rate as just a 'possible'. I wasn't impressed with his bowling in the second test, but I was impressed with his guts.

 

[masterblaster]

My Indian Team for the next test

Virender Sehwag
SS Das/MD Kaif (He Really Should Play!)
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
Sourav Ganguly
VVS Laxman
Parthiv Patel (Did a good job)
Ajit Agarkar
Harbhajan Singh
Anil Kumble/Tinu Yohannan
Zaheer Khan

 

[marc71178]

That line up still looks too weak in the tail MB and if were England's opening bowlers, I'd love the chance to open up on a seaming wicket against Kaif and Shewag.

 

[Rich2001]

Gough - Out
White - Out
Cork - Doubtful
Flintoff - Doubtful
Jones - Doubtful
Caddick - Just Back
Harmison - Fit
Hoggard - Fit
Tudor - Not Sure. Out I thought?

Right... Hoggard, Harmison, Caddick, 1 of Kevin Dean, Martin Saggers, Kabir Ali

Four bowlers, and give Ian Bell a call. None of those four can bat, Headingley doesn't turn, and we need strengthened tail.

Key
Vaughan
Butcher (or Fulton... )
Hussain - capt
Crawley
Stewart - wkt
Bell
Caddick
Hoggard (!)
Harmison
Ali/Dean/Saggers

Ok just to add to your list there Neil

- Crawley is out for the season

- Hussain has picked up a injury during the 2nd test however I have no doubts that he will play

- Butcher is he ok? he played through the last test with a bad keen, is it better now?

- Caddick only just back but did take wickets against my quality team and looks ok, will be picked in the squad for sure

- Jones is ok again and I sure he will be part of the squad

- Tudor is back and bowling well I heard in his last match

And I would love to see Bell picked for Crawley and Saggers for the squad not just because iam a Kent fan but he has taken over 50 wickets so far this season and has now taken 50+ wickets for the past 3 or so seasons, can take the new ball and swing it, and the only thing against him is that he is now getting older early 30's

Leeds is a very bowler friendly surface and I would expect England to do well their with there bowling attack, whereas India's spin will be weaken and their fast bowlers are still very raw

 

[Anil]

Kaif cannot be in the team, so no point talking about Kaif and Sehwag. Das' 250 more or less ensures a Das/Sehwag combination. Sehwag did score a century on a wicket helpful to bowlers in the 2nd test, so he cannot be called a bunny for a seam bowler as yet. Sure, he played and missed a lot of times, but his flamboyant approach to batting will always cause that. With more experience and better shot selection, he should be able to iron out those flaws.

The Indian tail was weak because the bowlers approached the task like it was not part of their job to bat at all. In the last couple of innings, however, they(Harb, Agarkar, Khan, Patel) have shown some resilience and staying power and if that persists, the weakness of the tail will cease to become the big factor it used to be.

 

[marc71178]

On form I'd go for none of the Kent bowlers or batsmen (565 in 145 overs versus 191-8 in 61 ) and Troughton ahead of Bell (he has the added bonus of being a leftie).

Out of interest, where did you get the story about Crawley being out?

 

[Rich2001]

Em...Don't know what you are talking about Marc

:undecided: :rolleyes: :lipsrsealed:

And as for JC he picked it up during the test, I will try and find the new report for you

 

[Neil Pickup]

I thought Crawley was having a scan this week and was expected to play.

Troughton needs more experience until he gets an England call, and I'm still unconvinced that Tudor is consistent enough to be Test Class - far rather see Saggers/Dean on a bowlers' pitch.

Let's hope that Ramprakash's duck today when all of Surrey was gorging itself will be enough to rule him out.

I'd be surprised if India play two spinners at Headingley, then again their seamers are of debatable quality. And Kaif's failing for a county team currently (Notts?)

 

[Rich2001]

Yep your right Neil, all TV coveage during the Test match said that John Crawley had got a cartilage tear in his left knee however he has a scan and it showed no signs of any tears, however he is out of the current Hampshire v Somerset match but could still recover in time for the Leeds test

 

[Neil Pickup]

Yep you're right Neil

Like usual 8D

 

[Tim]

I think I heard a radio snippit the other day where Shane Bond was talking and he spoke quite highly of his team-mates Jim Troughton & Nick Knight.

 

[lordprasad]

Das scored a double ton, but will he performs at test level too??

Personally i would like Bangar to be in, maybe he should replace Ajit.If not him, then TINU should be in the team, its time to drop Agarkar!

 

[Tim]

If Bangar can't handle batting against County opposition whats he going to be like against an international attack?

I can see that they want to use his bowling, but surely there are better options in India than Bangar.