***Official*** England in India 2016/17

[Daemon]

Ballance has to be a better option than Duckett at 4.

Has to be Buttler. The only thing to decide is whether to put Moeen at 4 for the right-left combo.

 

[harsh.ag]

We need Murali Vijay as captain. Would be badass as **** and put Kohli in his place like a champ.

 

[Black_Warrior]

So Indian pitches - win the toss, bat first and it's decided right there. The most predictable pitches ever.

 

[Daemon]

Kohli should never be in the slip cordon. He's probably shelled at least 10 since he took over.

 

[Black_Warrior]

So good to see Shami bowl like this. Hope he is managed well and is able to translate this when he goes overseas in more helpful conditions.

 

[OverratedSanity]

So good to see Shami bowl like this. Hope he is managed well and is able to translate this when he goes overseas in more helpful conditions.

Hahahahahahahaha

 

[slippy888]

I think there should be a bowl out before match to decide who gets advantage

 

[Kirkut]

Good win, the only thing that would probably bother an Indian supporter is Cook's form, he's looked imperious against spin and will get better as the series progresses.

 

[indiaholic]

Cook looks absolutely imperturbable. Think Hameed is very lucky to help him guide through international cricket.

 

[Stapel]

what i wouldn't give for a fit james taylor at #4.

Is there any chance he will return? I have no idea how serious his condition is. But there examples of sportsmen coming back from a sudden stop due to a serious hart condition. No idea how these examples relate to whatever JT has.


On the #4 spot in general.
Why not Woakes for Duckett? Seems awfully odd..... Seven bowlers. But why not?

 

[Shri]

But there examples of sportsmen coming back from a sudden stop due to a serious hart condition.

Owen Hart disagrees.

 

[Groundking]

Hoping for Broad to be fully fit for the next test then I'd go:

Cook
Hameed
Root
Buttler
Moeen
Stokes
Bairstow
Woakes
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

Buttler at 4 is seriously daft, but it's what happens when the last 7 (yes SEVEN) bats that have come into the side have failed miserably in the last 2 years. Excluding Hameed, who's still making his way with only the 4 innings, nobody who's been brought into the team and has played within the past 2 years have averaged over 30.

Really the solution is to promote Bairstow to 4, but I think he's massively improved with the gloves, so shouldn't have them taken off me, and the work load could be a bit too much if he was coming in at 4 all the time, and I like everybody else batting where they are. For reference here are the 7 best bats over that period (minus Hameed):

Root, 2577 @ 54.82
Bairstow, 1623 @ 52.35
Cook, 2472 @ 50.44
Stokes, 1511 @ 38.74
Ali, 1380 @ 34.50
Woakes, 450 @ 32.14
Taylor, 264 @ 29.33

 

[Shri]

Either way, only 4 left handers in the XI for the next test.

Cook
Ali
Stokes
Anderson

And with no turn in the track, Ashwin should be in for a tough time.

 

[honestbharani]

Can't believe no one is talking about this...


PU-JA-RA came up with the idea to strengthen the leg side cordon that eventually led to the Cook dismissal..


#ViratdrivesinthePoohman'sslipstream

 

[indiaholic]

Haha where did you read that?

 

[Bijed]

Has to be Buttler. The only thing to decide is whether to put Moeen at 4 for the right-left combo.

Yeah, much as I'd balk at the thought of bringing in Buttler under most circumstances, it's got to be him now (unless we can fly in someone else?). I don't expect he'll do much but he should be able to average more than 6 and even if he is worse he literally can't be enough of a step down for it to mean it wasn't worth trying him.

Assuming Bairstow's keeping the gloves (and he deserves to), anyone know what Buttler's general fielding is like?

 

[honestbharani]

Haha where did you read that?

Kohli's presser.

 

[Zinzan]

So Indian pitches - win the toss, bat first and it's decided right there. The most predictable pitches ever.

Yup, the thing about this particular India side, is if they lose the toss at home, the opposition can at best take the game deep, &even manage a draw as England did in the first Test. However if they win the toss & bat first, they're going to win virtually every time.

There's no doubt in my mind that they would be 2-0 up atm had they won the toss in the first test.

This 2nd test win was pretty much like the Tests against NZ when India won all tosses, except England did offer more resistant with the bat.

So in conclusion for the rest of this series ... If India win the toss, India win comfortably, If England win the toss, India will probably still win, but England might be able to take the game deep or even draw.

 

[Groundking]

I gather flying out somebody like Hildreth isn't an option, it just doesn't seem like a good idea keeping either Duckett or Balance on the tour with Duckett looking so poor, and Balance not sorting his problems out, and we can't really bring in a player who's played no red ball cricket in 12 months, unless he's looking supreme in the nets, but I'd still be cautious.

 

[Woodster]

Yes it's probably a bit of hindsight now, certainly in my case, but now we've got Balance predictably not looking the goods and Duckett with some major technical flaws in these conditions and against this attack and Buttler with no red ball cricket for months and months, it does look like we've not exactly selected wisely, but again there is a degree of hindsight on my part with that. I do think Buttler is the best of our options, he has played in India, albeit in a different format, and I'm sure won't have encountered these types of pitches too frequently in the IPL, but he is a supremely talented guy that has to be remain true to his strengths.

Where does he bat ? Presumably it's too much for Barstow to move up to four, especially if he's put in a decent shift behind the stumps. Maybe Moeen goes to four and Buttler slots in at five, though I wouldn't be overly concerned if Buttler goes four.