***Official*** England in India

[DanielFullard]

I'll be blunt - since when has 92.33 been an acceptable Test bowling average?

Maybe I went too far when I said "not bad at all", but basically, I assume he will be more effective than Plunkett has been plus Udal is far better with the bat. Id far rather they went with another spinner than have Plunkett on the pitch.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Maybe I went too far when I said "not bad at all", but basically, I assume he will be more effective than Plunkett has been plus Udal is far better with the bat. Id far rather they went with another spinner than have Plunkett on the pitch.

Bring back Blackwell!

(FAO DanielFullard: there are a few people on here who are Somerset fans, and who'll always stick up for Ian Blackwell no matter how badly he does. I'm one of them. )

 

[DanielFullard]

Bring back Blackwell!

(FAO DanielFullard: there are a few people on here who are Somerset fans, and who'll always stick up for Ian Blackwell no matter how badly he does. I'm one of them. )

Ok

As a Durham fan I should be sticking up for Plunkett but really, I cant.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Ok

As a Durham fan I should be sticking up for Plunkett but really, I cant.

Give him time, he's young. Talent will out, as they say, and he's got talent.

 

[GIMH]

In contrast to the Durham fan showing no bias and looking out only for the interests of the national team LOL

Then again is agreeing with Udal's possible inclusion really looking out for the interests of the team?!

Regardless of it being a pitch suited to two spinners, we don't have two test-class spinenrs fit (if Giles were fit one could argue for him and Panesar to both play) so I say gives James Anderson a chance or well I'm out of other ideas to tell the truth.

 

[GIMH]

Ok

As a Durham fan I should be sticking up for Plunkett but really, I cant.

LOL my post rendered pointless by those that came in between

 

[DanielFullard]

Give him time, he's young. Talent will out, as they say, and he's got talent.

What I would like to see is for the national side not to rush him into test cricket and simply allow him to get a good season of County Cricket under his belt for Durham

 

[Anil]

So much for 'Technique translating into exceptional performance....'

tendulkar's has....whether you like it or not, so your sarcasm is utterly wasted there.....manjrekar's did for a while....but when technique is not backed up by talent and a huge dose of determination you won't survive that long in the whirlpool of international cricket.....mistakes have crept into his technique over the past two years that experts have pointed out, he has become half a step slower with all his injuries.....that explains his failures over the past couple of years....as to whether there are any mental/psychological reasons as well, only he can answer that.....

 

[Sanz]

tendulkar's has....whether you like it or not, so your sarcasm is utterly wasted there.....manjrekar's did for a while....

Not in last two years for Tendulkar, Manjerekar's didn't for majority of his career.

but when technique is not backed up by talent and a huge dose of determination you won't survive that long in the whirlpool of international cricket.....mistakes have crept into his technique over the past two years that experts have pointed out, he has become half a step slower with all his injuries.....that explains his failures over the past couple of years....as to whether there are any mental/psychological reasons as well, only he can answer that.....

Totally agree with that and that is why I feel it is important that his place should be questioned, he shouldn't be an automaic selection if he fails in next test (and/or series). No one is blaming him for getting old or getting injured, he is still a contracted player, he will still make his money and have time to regroup himself, his technique, mental aspect whatever it is.

 

[open365]

After 16 years in international cricket, i'd say Sachin is allowed to have a run of bad form and still be kept in the side.

Living on his reputation?

What's wrong with that if your reputation is as good as Sachin's? He has proved how good he is, and i believe he still has it in him to hit the heights again.

He's shown promise over the last 6 months but hasn't been consistent enough to stop people questioning his place in the side.

 

[PY]

As for Bevan...only 6 centuries in 200+ ODI's hurts his case when comparing with Tend/Richards...but he is definatly at the top of the second class.

Anyone who saw England v Australia in WC 2003 would argue that centuries really don't matter when it comes to Bevan.

 

[Sanz]

I'll be blunt - since when has 92.33 been an acceptable Test bowling average?

It is not, but please keep in mind that on those pitches Harbhajan went wicketless and Kumble averaged 70.

 

[Arjun]

This three-spinner combination isn't one they can use for very long, so a third seamer should come in for the final match. Harbhajan, for all his problems, is still the next highest wicket taker after Kumble, and should stay– he can't do far worse than the others. He just needs to outfox the batsmen by adding more variations, rather than just bowling the same flat delivery over and over again. Sreesanth should come back– an impressive show in the first Test should keep him in contention. Chawla can wait– he's not yet ready for Tests, so the dressing-room experience will help him more than bits-and-pieces spells for that one wicket. Can't be too bad.

 

[silentstriker]

Here are my choices for each of the teams


INDIA

1. Jaffer
2. Sehwag
3. Dravid
4. Tendulkar
5. Yuvraj
6. Dhoni
7. Pathan
8. Kumble
9. Harbhajan
10. Patel
11. Sreesanth

-------------------------------------

ENGLAND

1. Strauss
2. Cook
3. Bell
4. Pietersen
5. Collingwood
6. Flintoff
7. G Jones+
8. Udal
9. Hoggard
10. Harmison
11. Panesar

 

[Nishant]

Wow, I bow down to your logic. You are saying Sachin is getting single digit scores on purpose because he has 35 centuries?



no, im not sayin dat. I just feel dat he is not as bothered as he once was. he is only playing 4 the world cup now. i hate to say it, but he will retire after it.

 

[adharcric]

Here are my choices for each of the teams


INDIA

1. Jaffer
2. Sehwag
3. Dravid
4. Tendulkar
5. Yuvraj
6. Dhoni
7. Pathan
8. Kumble
9. Harbhajan
10. Patel
11. Sreesanth

-------------------------------------

ENGLAND

1. Strauss
2. Cook
3. Bell
4. Pietersen
5. Collingwood
6. Flintoff
7. G Jones+
8. Udal
9. Hoggard
10. Harmison
11. Panesar

I think most of us will agree with those teams, with the slight exception of Udal, but England doesn't have many better options anyways.

 

[Anil]

Not in last two years for Tendulkar, Manjerekar's didn't for majority of his career.

but it did for the majority of tendulkar's career and that's what proves my point about there being a huge gap between him and ganguly even in the one day arena....not really concerned how long it worked for manjrekar here(although for about a year or so it did work spectacularly for sanjay as well....)....

Totally agree with that and that is why I feel it is important that his place should be questioned, he shouldn't be an automaic selection if he fails in next test (and/or series). No one is blaming him for getting old or getting injured, he is still a contracted player, he will still make his money and have time to regroup himself, his technique, mental aspect whatever it is.

agreed....although we were comparing gangs and sachin as one day players not sachin's place in the test team here....

 

[steds]

Here are my choices for each of the teams


...


8. Udal

Let me guess, you're an India fan?

 

[steds]

I think most of us will agree with those teams, with the slight exception of Udal, but England doesn't have many better options anyways.

Everyone's a better option than Udal. He's just an old fart who can't bowl.

 

[steds]

BBC are reporting that it looks very likely that Udal will be in the team for the last test. His record in the three tests he has played so far is not bad at all and I for one would welcome him replacing Plunkett in the side

I've said this all along, and I'll conitinue to - it's a joke that Udal's even out there, never mind in the team.