***Official*** India in England

[Nishant]

Not really, you can support good cricket. Frequently, my loyalties switch to the team that is playing cricket the way I like.

i dont think that its right to just switch to the team that is playing the best. Thats just glory-hunting. You are a true supporter when u stick by ur team in whatever situation they are in. However, i dont think its wrong to appreciate good cricket.

 

[silentstriker]

i dont think that its right to just switch to the team that is playing the best. Thats just glory-hunting. You are a true supporter when u stick by ur team in whatever situation they are in. However, i dont think its wrong to appreciate good cricket.

I didn't say playing the best...I said playing the way I like.

 

[Nishant]

I didn't say playing the best...I said playing the way I like.

sorry...misread...in that case, that fair enough...but surely you cant support australia on the first day of a test match because they played the way u like and then switch to india the nect day because they suddenly played the way u like!

 

[Turbinator]

I cheer for India and only India, no one else.

 

[Manee]

I live in England as well...but i still support India...IMO, a person can only support one team. If they start supporting more than that, they cant really be called true supporters. In your case, u could support either india or england...but the good thing is that you chose one team and stuck with it.

I was kidding myself when I said I supported England, if anything, I want them to lose so I can see the look on my friends faces

Anyone read the edit on my last post?

 

[TT Boy]

I was kidding myself when I said I supported England, if anything, I want them to lose so I can see the look on my friends faces

Anyone read the edit on my last post?

I did and I believe Strauss is the guy you meant to say who likes to cut square. Ali Cook, pretty much works everything onto the onside with his off-side game at this moment in time being not that great.

But I agree with your point on Zaheer, he would be a real handful if he came across the sort of conditions the West Indies experienced over the past couple of days.

For me India's attack should be Zaheer, Sreesanth, Munaf or RP, Kumble and then have Sachin and Ganguly as you part timers but given Kumble will probably have one end tied up all day rotating the three pace men should be relatively easy for captain Dravid.

Should be a cracking series and given the timing of India's arrival they should miss out on conditions which wouldn't necessarily be to their batsman's liking and I can see them taking at least one test (and of course the ODI).

 

[Manee]

If Munaf cannot regain pace and shows no intent to, I think he should be dropped to nip this premadonna attitude in the bud. It is sad though because as I said earlier, he would be a good bowler in the conditions.

 

[TT Boy]

If Munaf cannot regain pace and shows no intent to, I think he should be dropped to nip this premadonna attitude in the bud. It is sad though because as I said earlier, he would be a good bowler in the conditions.

He would but as you say if his not prepared to put the yards in or be someone you can call upon late in the day then he really shouldn't be apart of the side.

RP Singh looks to be a decent talent, only concern is similar with Zaheer is that his natural length means that his never too far away from a juicy half volley but RP did bowl some crackers against the Bangladeshi’s and he was pretty lively throughout. I mean high 80’s mph is pretty good for a guy whose able to swing it (late) both ways.

Although, RP’s three game spell for Leicestershire this year wasn’t the greatest but you can’t really use the evidence of a couple of weeks domestic cricket as an illustration of what his going to be like in England this summer.

 

[Manee]

He would but as you say if his not prepared to put the yards in or be someone you can call upon late in the day then he really shouldn't be apart of the side.

RP Singh looks to be a decent talent, only concern is similar with Zaheer is that his natural length means that his never too far away from a juicy half volley but RP did bowl some crackers against the Bangladeshi’s and he was pretty lively throughout. I mean high 80’s mph is pretty good for a guy whose able to swing it (late) both ways.

Although, RP’s three game spell for Leicestershire this year wasn’t the greatest but you can’t really use the evidence of a couple of weeks domestic cricket as an illustration of what his going to be like in England this summer.

Very good post which I agree with totally.

At least this article brings light to the obvious problem of bowler breakdown: http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/296143.html

He sounds compitant...

"It is a matter of great concern for all of us. There are a lot of matches to be played during the season and the frequent breakdown of bowlers is definitely not a good sign," he said. "I feel the physio and the trainer have to play a big role in keeping all the players, especially the fast bowlers, in prime condition all the time. We just can't afford to see our main strike bowlers nursing injuries just after one or two games," he said. "Both Gloster and King will have to call the shots on whether the bowlers are working out too much or less than what is required," said Vengsarkar, referring to the recent injuries to pace bowlers S Sreesanth and Munaf Patel both prior and during the tour of Bangladesh from where they returned home early.

I think the captain should also be one to take responsibilty and not bowl the bowlers too long spells, not that he has, Im just saying it should be his responsibility too.

Vengsarkar, however, hinted that the best possible team would be chosen for the three one-dayers against South Africa in Ireland and the one-off ODI, for Prince Charles Charity Trust, in Scotland against Pakistan. "Well, it is not possible to send the strongest team for all the off-shore matches. We will have to select the team which not only has a good combination but also we will have to make sure the key players are kept fresh all the time, which is bound to be an Herculean task. For, we will have to ensure that the team keeps winning as well as the players are physically and mentally fresh.

Sounds like they've been reading my posts..

 

[silentstriker]

sorry...misread...in that case, that fair enough...but surely you cant support australia on the first day of a test match because they played the way u like and then switch to india the nect day because they suddenly played the way u like!

Why not? Of course I can. I like captains being aggressive with their fast bowlers. If I see a captain staying aggressive even if they are getting hit a bit, I immediately warm up to the side. On the other hand, I like batting where the batsman plays the percentages and removes all the high risk shots and plays with orthodox technique.

 

[Manee]

Why not? Of course I can. I like captains being aggressive with their fast bowlers. If I see a captain staying aggressive even if they are getting hit a bit, I immediately warm up to the side. On the other hand, I like batting where the batsman plays the percentages and removes all the high risk shots and plays with orthodox technique.

You are a rare breed of cricket fan.

 

[Pup Clarke]

 

[Manee]

I did and I believe Strauss is the guy you meant to say who likes to cut square. Ali Cook, pretty much works everything onto the onside with his off-side game at this moment in time being not that great.

Against India, all Cook could do is cut, until proved otherwise against them I think they should work from that.

Strauss can pull too, but is a compulsive cutter like most left handers, chucking a few wide out for him to cut and edge would be a good ploy.

 

[Goughy]

As has already been said, it looks a crazy schedule. Nearly 3 1/2 months and only 3 Tests but 13 ODIs.

 

[Manee]

Well, it should be fine for India as long as there is constant rotation of the players especially fast bowlers.

 

[Perm]

You are a rare breed of cricket fan.

That he is my friend, that he is.

 

[Manee]

I posted this too on planetcricket, but I thought you may want to see this.

Lets have a little fair Player Vs Player comparison for both forms of the game.

Lets presume England bowl first.

English Bowlers Vs Indian Batsman

Sidebottom Vs Jaffer: Sidebottom strays onto Jaffers pad with his inswing and could go for runs. However, the one that goes on with the angle could square Jaffer up.

Harmison Vs Karthik: Pace and bounce may trouble the inexperienced opener who favours the half volley and spinners.

England bowlers Vs Sehwag: Well, when England came to India in 2005/6, Sehwag in 5 ODI innings failed to beat a high score of 26. This is a series with a difference for Sehwag though, since it will make or break his career.

Plunkett Vs Dravid: Dravid tends to go back to the outswinging length ball, this could be his downfall against Plunkett who produces the outswinging jaffa once every so often.

Monty Vs Tendulkar: Tendulkar struggles a lot against left arm off spin and may fall to Monty more than once or twice in the series.

Wayward English Bowlers Vs Ganguly: One to watch in both forms of the game, Ganguly will look to cut anything wide and the ball (coming at 85mph) will fly to the boundary, but will it sail into Third Man's hands.

Now for Indian Bowlers Vs English Batsman

Z Khan Vs Strauss: Strauss favours the cut and pull and Z Khan's probing line and length may frustrate him. Zaheer destroyed the Bangladeshi left handers, can he do that to Strauss?

Sreesanth Vs Cook: Cook seems to be the complete batsman who can play spin well. I believe that India's main hope of getting him out should be early quick swing by Sreesanth. Cook has over 50% conversion rate of fifties to hundreds and India must attack him early.

Munaf Patel Vs Vaughan: Vaughan's batting on form is elegance personified with no weaknesses to speak of. However, especially if he regains pace, his extremely accurate bowling may leave nothing to elegantly stroke through the gaps.

Indian Attack Vs KP: India's stump attacking method of bowling will play into KP's leg side hands. Nothing has yet to trouble Kevin Pietersen at international level, except, Munaf Patel's deceptive bouncer which seems to have him jumping all over the shop at just 80mph. Will the lazy man's bouncer prove KPs only weakness? I believe Kumble may struggle to square up KP as much as he has other batsman since KP is always on the move. Like all England series Kevin Pietersen's form will likely have a direct relation to whether England win or lose both the ODI and Test series.

 

[GIMH]

Title should say "in Britain and Ireland" really. British isles is offensive to some Irish.

Mind you, I don't care

Anyway, should be a good test series. The ODI series will be dire.

 

[sohummisra]

Bump? Better to discuss Kumble in India here rather than the West Indies in England thread, I feel. As I mentioned there, Kumble has an average of 45 in England, which is his worst in terms of the countries played.

However, this includes 4 tests played in 1990 and 1996-- more than 11 years back. In his last effort there, he picked up 14 wickets in 3 matches. Seeing that he has become our prime force in bowling and wicket-taking over the last two-three years, this is an ideal opportunity to correct the statistics there.

 

[Richard]

There were far, far less spin-receptive wickets in 1990 and 1996 (and 2002 for that matter) than there have been in the last 3 years.

There were 3 in 2004 (Trent Bridge, Lord's v WI and Edgbaston) and 2 and a bit in 2006 (Trent Bridge, Old Trafford and Headingley later on).