***Official*** 4th Test @ The Oval, London - 2nd-6th September

[DriveClub]

Surely rahane's played his last test?

 

[morgieb]

RIP Rahane

 

[Arachnodouche]

Despite his performance this match, I can see Rahane playing the next one. I get the feeling they don’t want to embarrass him by dropping him mid series. He’ll probably be benched afterwards.

I hope he has the dignity to step down of his own accord. He looked worse during that stay than he has through all his failures. There's no way back from that in two days time between Tests.

 

[Bijed]

Have ten guys before him. You still can't protect him in his current form.

Plus, even after they win this test, India need to make sure they don't lose the next one in order to win the series and carrying an absolute passenger with the bat will make that harder than it needs to be.

Now that I've said that, I look forward to his matchwinning twin tons in the next test

 

[Nintendo]

Plus, even after they win this test, India need to make sure they don't lose the next one in order to win the series.

I mean if india draw the series they have the trophy, so that'd be a series win, no? I'm not an indian fan, but was a similiar situation last ashes and noene seemed upset.

 

[Bijed]

I mean if india draw the series they have the trophy, so that'd be a series win, no? I'm not an indian fan, but was a similiar situation last ashes and noene seemed upset.

I'm sure there's a lot of people who would be happy with 'just' retaining the trophy and it definitely counts for something, but if I were an Indian fan, I'd be very disappointed to go 2-1 up and not ultimately take the series against this English team

Drawing the Ashes may have felt like more of a win to Australia fans maybe because holding the Ashes in and of itself is just a big deal?

 

[Uppercut]

I mean if india draw the series they have the trophy, so that'd be a series win, no? I'm not an indian fan, but was a similiar situation last ashes and noene seemed upset.

‘Retaining the trophy’ is much more of a thing with the Ashes than any other series. I think it’s always kinda bollocks. A draw is a draw and never the same as a win.

 

[harsh.ag]

Definitely not the same. Although this is wildly premature talk right now.

 

[Bijed]

‘Retaining the trophy’ is much more of a thing with the Ashes than any other series. I think it’s always kinda bollocks. A draw is a draw and never the same as a win.

Yeah, as a touring team, drawing a series is a sort of 'moral win' I guess, but not something a top level sports team should settle for when they're eminently capable of winning outright

 

[Uppercut]

Kohli’ edged short of the slips a lot here. You get good value out of soft hands on a pitch like this.

 

[cnerd123]

Cmon 250 lead

Kohli needs to ton up today

 

[harsh.ag]

Cmon 250 lead

Kohli needs to ton up today

If he tons up, it will be way higher than a 250 lead haha

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, as a touring team, drawing a series is a sort of 'moral win' I guess, but not something a top level sports team should settle for when they're eminently capable of winning outright

Yeah there are draws you can be proud of and draws you’re disappointed by. But it’s never equivalent to a win. I can’t think of another sport where ‘retaining the trophy’ is a thing. I think it just comes from the existence of a very iconic Ashes trophy, and the need to decide who gets to hold it.

 

[cnerd123]

Also the entire coaching staff has been isolated due to COVID wtf

 

[Victor Ian]

Drawing the Ashes may have felt like more of a win to Australia fans maybe because holding the Ashes in and of itself is just a big deal?

Only inasmuch as a draw is not a loss. It was a psycholical loss and felt like a kick in the nuts.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah there are draws you can be proud of and draws you’re disappointed by. But it’s never equivalent to a win. I can’t think of another sport where ‘retaining the trophy’ is a thing. I think it just comes from the existence of a very iconic Ashes trophy, and the need to decide who gets to hold it.

Boxing

 

[White Ball]

I'm sure there's a lot of people who would be happy with 'just' retaining the trophy and it definitely counts for something, but if I were an Indian fan, I'd be very disappointed to go 2-1 up and not ultimately take the series against this English team

Drawing the Ashes may have felt like more of a win to Australia fans maybe because holding the Ashes in and of itself is just a big deal?

Fair call I am an Indian Fan and beating England in England is a real challenge but a drawn series won’t mean much to me we have come here to win the series

 

[hendrix]

A Pant 35 here would be so valuable

 

[Arachnodouche]

Kohli's cover driving this game has been ***.

 

[Jack1]

Kohli is hilarious. I read yesterday someone calling him the India David Brent. Pumped over running a 2.

Gone. Sorry Kohli. Thanks for turning up Ali. Looked like a false shot, went hard at it expecting turn. Guess he got too excited over the 2 and lost concentration.