***Official*** England in India

[tooextracool]

After Pakistan, how does Bell have anything to prove?

maybe not to you and me, but certainly out of all of the batsmen in the side his place is the least safe, at least in the selectors mind. you have to ask yourself, would the selectors drop strauss, tresco,vaughan,pietersen or flintoff? i dont see that happening anytime soon.

 

[marc71178]

I think the fact he retained his place after the Ashes says that he hasn't got a great deal to prove.

 

[tooextracool]

I think the fact he retained his place after the Ashes says that he hasn't got a great deal to prove.

did he really? or did he only retain his place in starting XI because michael vaughan missed the first test against pakistan?

 

[Autobahn]

To drop bell now would be utterly stupid now that he is in form and starting to mature as a batsmen.

I mean in say 9 years time i could see Bell captaining the side easily.

 

[DhonisOnslaught]

I think India will win the series 2-0, one test ending in a draw.

English bowlers will have a huge task of taking 20 Indian wkts, which is probably the hardest thing in the word.

The guys that will do well in bowling for England might be Flintoff (he's G-R-E-A-T) and Jones.For India Bhajji,Kumble and Pathan are likely to do most of damage, though Sreesanth might be a surprise in the series.

 

[Swervy]

I think India will win the series 2-0, one test ending in a draw.

English bowlers will have a huge task of taking 20 Indian wkts, which is probably the hardest thing in the word.

The guys that will do well in bowling for England might be Flintoff (he's G-R-E-A-T) and Jones.For India Bhajji,Kumble and Pathan are likely to do most of damage, though Sreesanth might be a surprise in the series.

you may well be right about the 2-0 scoreline however I really dont see Pathan being much of a threat to the England on a consistant basis. The two match winners will be Harby and Kumble.

It will be hard for England to take 20 wickets, however, if any pace dominated attack is going to do that, then it will be England...Indias batting isnt invincible (far from it in fact).

I can see it being 2-0 this series, but I can also see it as being a bit of a misleading scoreline as well (much like the recent SA vs Australia series)

 

[Jono]

Swervy! Where have you been mate? Good to see you back.

 

[Swervy]

Swervy! Where have you been mate? Good to see you back.

Thanks Jono!!!! Glad I wasnt forgotten too much...hehehehe
Oh I have been hovering around the forum, just not posting....just been busy, and much of my sporting attention was focused on the NFL season just gone, cricket now goes back to priorty...so I will be adding my twopenneth a bit more!!!!!

 

[Barney Rubble]

English bowlers will have a huge task of taking 20 Indian wkts, which is probably the hardest thing in the world.

Yes, cause Pakistan never came anywhere close to managing that, did they?

 

[honestbharani]

Yes, cause Pakistan never came anywhere close to managing that, did they?

They did that ONCE in 3 opportunities. It was that damn easy.



Joking aside, I think England will do better than what they did in Pakistan mainly because the pitches will offer a lot more to their pace quartet and because they would have learned from the Pak experience. Having said that, I think India will still do well. I think 1-0 or 1-1 will be the result.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I think if the taff is swinging the new and old ball as reported earlier then England will win the series. The taff will pick up wickets fairly cheaply and fast (doesn't matter if you're Tendulkar, Dravid or a tailender, still somewhat difficult to play someone swinging the ball at near 90mph) - Kumble and Turbinator will pick up wickets, but not at the same rate just because finger spinners don't do a Gareth Batty (7-23) very often (Warne or Murali would be different).

 

[honestbharani]

I think if the taff is swinging the new and old ball as reported earlier then England will win the series. The taff will pick up wickets fairly cheaply and fast (doesn't matter if you're Tendulkar, Dravid or a tailender, still somewhat difficult to play someone swinging the ball at near 90mph) - Kumble and Turbinator will pick up wickets, but not at the same rate just because finger spinners don't do a Gareth Batty (7-23) very often (Warne or Murali would be different).

Not much can be read from this practice game. This was just a knock around game. A lot of these guys who faced England aren't even FC regulars. The next practice match will show the truer picture.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Not much can be read from this practice game. This was just a knock around game. A lot of these guys who faced England aren't even FC regulars. The next practice match will show the truer picture.

It didn't have anything whatsoever to do with the opponents in the practice game. If the taff swings the ball against mickey mouse he can swing it against Tendulkar and co. Anyone who watched the Ashes will have seen what happens when the taff swings the ball.

 

[honestbharani]

It didn't have anything whatsoever to do with the opponents in the practice game. If the taff swings the ball against mickey mouse he can swing it against Tendulkar and co. Anyone who watched the Ashes will have seen what happens when the taff swings the ball.

Honestly, do you think Jones is better than Waqar and Wasim and Sachin has smashed these guys in their prime?

 

[Scaly piscine]

Honestly, do you think Jones is better than Waqar and Wasim and Sachin has smashed these guys in their prime?

Show me where Tendulkar smashed Waqar and Wasim in their prime in Test cricket (they hardly met in their primes anyway, so you're just clutching at straws). Regardless that is of little relevance because the taff has gotten Ponting out twice cheaply - and honestly, do you think Sachin *now* is better than Ponting?

 

[sledger]

do you think Sachin *now* is better than Ponting?

his performances in this series could go some way to really determining that if you ask me.

 

[marc71178]

Honestly, do you think Jones is better than Waqar and Wasim and Sachin has smashed these guys in their prime?

And of course the current SRT is in his prime?

 

[silentstriker]

nd of course the current SRT is in his prime?

Wasim and Waqar were better bowlers than anyone currently in the English lineup.

However, Sachin is not in his prime, and Indian batting line up isn't as strong as it was in the 2003/2004 tour of Australia. Therefore, the English bowlers will do well.

I predict a 1-1 series.

 

[open365]

And of course the current SRT is in his prime?

Yes.

 

[viktor]

It didn't have anything whatsoever to do with the opponents in the practice game. If the taff swings the ball against mickey mouse he can swing it against Tendulkar and co. Anyone who watched the Ashes will have seen what happens when the taff swings the ball.

except that tendulkar might have a slightly better idea as to how to deal with it than mickey.