Great match, great result and great to see it played in a great spirit (Indian wicket Keeper in particular joking with our batsmen) so much more enjoyable than the way the Aussies play.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the laughing and joking stopped now. Second test is going to be make or break for the Indian side.
I dunno, I think that's just Pant's character. I like him, talented and entertaining cricketer.
The best one was when he asked Smith for one or two of his bats!
A few observations..its interesting to see the influence t20 has had on test cricket..eg the improvisation and manoeuvring of the field in roots innings and the scoring rate of the Indian batting ,the improved fielding
The toss played a big part
England's fielding and attitude in the field was far superior..does that raise questions marks on kohli or are England just fitter?
India have some gun batsmen but playing for 5 days ,as opposed to limited overs is the ultimate test..sometimes a sibley innings is more valuable than a pant knock
India won their Aussie series against the odds as they played as a team...in this match they were out teamed ..questions over kohlis influence..is he too big a star ?
So looking forward to the next test ..foakes keeping (how much we ll miss buttler) ..will we keep Jimmy in ? Will woakes come in to make it a rhyming late middle order?
Still baffles me why Buttler is going home after ONE test when the next match is at the same venue
Because he’s been away from family for ages essentially living in a (nice) hotel room part in isolation for at least a month and he’s got a lot of cricket including a World Cup this year to ensure his fitness physical and mental is tip top.
Same as Bairstow missing this series, Archer missing the last etc. I think as fans we may be underestimating the mental effect covid may have on the team. We have a lot of cricket in 2021 of various forms (not even talking about the hundred).
In non covid times the players would have more freedom, to relax on beaches, walk of an evening, the players families join for parts/all of the tours etc this is so different.
Not questioning resting players, but why he’s been kept on for just 1 Test rather than 2 when the next match is at the same venue.
Is Foakes the keeper for the rest of the series, or will be get dumped after one Test when Bairstow arrives before the 3rd Test? Indeed if Foakes was unfit this week, would Pope have to keep for the 2nd Test?
I think we just need to get into the mindset that there’s is no longer a ‘best 11’, there’s a squad that will be rotated baring in mind schedule, opposition and players circumstances to ensure the maximum amount of physical and mental freshness.
Loved hearing the logic behind why they kept on batting late on the fourth day.
Bat India out of the game completely, ensure the ball is still somewhat hard on the fifth morning and allow Jimmy to go to work if plan A with the spinners doesn’t produce results.
It all worked out perfectly. Brilliant coaching and brilliant captaincy.
I woke myself up at 5:30 this morning with watching the cricket on my mind and had the sound off so as to not wake the wife. I wasn't totally awake but it looked like the score was 170 something for 4. Went to the bathroom and got a bit more with it and on my return to bed the score was 117 for 6. That was a nice bonus in a couple of minutes.
Loved hearing the logic behind why they kept on batting late on the fourth day.
Bat India out of the game completely, ensure the ball is still somewhat hard on the fifth morning and allow Jimmy to go to work if plan A with the spinners doesn’t produce results.
It all worked out perfectly. Brilliant coaching and brilliant captaincy.
I'm still not convinced about the logic - that we won easily doesn't prove whether England's tactics last night were right or wrong. We won today because we bowled very well (other than Bess) and the pitch was tricky.
If we had given India another 10 overs last night, we might have got another couple out before the close of play. We might have got a tired Kohli in to bat with 15 minutes of play last night, instead of him coming in fresh today. And then opened with Jimmy this morning when the ball was reverse swinging.
Still baffles me why Buttler is going home after ONE test when the next match is at the same venue
Because he’s been away from family for ages essentially living in a (nice) hotel room part in isolation for at least a month and he’s got a lot of cricket including a World Cup this year to ensure his fitness physical and mental is tip top.
Same as Bairstow missing this series, Archer missing the last etc. I think as fans we may be underestimating the mental effect covid may have on the team. We have a lot of cricket in 2021 of various forms (not even talking about the hundred).
In non covid times the players would have more freedom, to relax on beaches, walk of an evening, the players families join for parts/all of the tours etc this is so different.
Not questioning resting players, but why he’s been kept on for just 1 Test rather than 2 when the next match is at the same venue.
Is Foakes the keeper for the rest of the series, or will be get dumped after one Test when Bairstow arrives before the 3rd Test? Indeed if Foakes was unfit this week, would Pope have to keep for the 2nd Test?
Pope keeping hopefully won't be an option simply because he just doesn't keep these days. It's really hard to take the gloves and expect to be international class when you don't do it on a regular basis.
In any case, he needs to save all his energies on his new batting position!
Of course I also forgot that James Bracey is out there as a travelling reserve and Bairstow returns for the 3rd and 4th Tests so there is absolutely no question that Pope will be required to keep
Still baffles me why Buttler is going home after ONE test when the next match is at the same venue
Because he’s been away from family for ages essentially living in a (nice) hotel room part in isolation for at least a month and he’s got a lot of cricket including a World Cup this year to ensure his fitness physical and mental is tip top.
Same as Bairstow missing this series, Archer missing the last etc. I think as fans we may be underestimating the mental effect covid may have on the team. We have a lot of cricket in 2021 of various forms (not even talking about the hundred).
In non covid times the players would have more freedom, to relax on beaches, walk of an evening, the players families join for parts/all of the tours etc this is so different.
Not questioning resting players, but why he’s been kept on for just 1 Test rather than 2 when the next match is at the same venue.
Is Foakes the keeper for the rest of the series, or will be get dumped after one Test when Bairstow arrives before the 3rd Test? Indeed if Foakes was unfit this week, would Pope have to keep for the 2nd Test?
I think we just need to get into the mindset that there’s is no longer a ‘best 11’, there’s a squad that will be rotated baring in mind schedule, opposition and players circumstances to ensure the maximum amount of physical and mental freshness.
Still baffles me why Buttler is going home after ONE test when the next match is at the same venue
Because he’s been away from family for ages essentially living in a (nice) hotel room part in isolation for at least a month and he’s got a lot of cricket including a World Cup this year to ensure his fitness physical and mental is tip top.
Same as Bairstow missing this series, Archer missing the last etc. I think as fans we may be underestimating the mental effect covid may have on the team. We have a lot of cricket in 2021 of various forms (not even talking about the hundred).
In non covid times the players would have more freedom, to relax on beaches, walk of an evening, the players families join for parts/all of the tours etc this is so different.
Not questioning resting players, but why he’s been kept on for just 1 Test rather than 2 when the next match is at the same venue.
Is Foakes the keeper for the rest of the series, or will be get dumped after one Test when Bairstow arrives before the 3rd Test? Indeed if Foakes was unfit this week, would Pope have to keep for the 2nd Test?
I think we just need to get into the mindset that there’s is no longer a ‘best 11’, there’s a squad that will be rotated baring in mind schedule, opposition and players circumstances to ensure the maximum amount of physical and mental freshness.
Still baffles me why Buttler is going home after ONE test when the next match is at the same venue
Because he’s been away from family for ages essentially living in a (nice) hotel room part in isolation for at least a month and he’s got a lot of cricket including a World Cup this year to ensure his fitness physical and mental is tip top.
Same as Bairstow missing this series, Archer missing the last etc. I think as fans we may be underestimating the mental effect covid may have on the team. We have a lot of cricket in 2021 of various forms (not even talking about the hundred).
In non covid times the players would have more freedom, to relax on beaches, walk of an evening, the players families join for parts/all of the tours etc this is so different.
Not questioning resting players, but why he’s been kept on for just 1 Test rather than 2 when the next match is at the same venue.
Is Foakes the keeper for the rest of the series, or will be get dumped after one Test when Bairstow arrives before the 3rd Test? Indeed if Foakes was unfit this week, would Pope have to keep for the 2nd Test?
I think we just need to get into the mindset that there’s is no longer a ‘best 11’, there’s a squad that will be rotated baring in mind schedule, opposition and players circumstances to ensure the maximum amount of physical and mental freshness.
Bore off Bowyer
Come off it covered end , my joke first
I recorded the cricket and started watching @7.30, so didn't look at this thread for obvious reasons. I saw just after I posted that you'd already nicked my joke.
England giving world class performances - at cricket!! Anderson, as good a seam bowler as there has ever been - and Root masterclasses.
Oh my days - what a time to be alive
Jimmy Anderson! and there were still people saying he shouldn't go to the sub continent!
I must confess for a couple of years I had been expecting him to slow down and become too old and cream crackered .. the man is a phenomenon .. his longevity is testament to superb ability and technique allied to sheer cussedness and (of course) careful game management by the selectors and captain Root
Dare they rest Anderson and play both Stone and Broad?
in a nutshell .. NO .. Broad is a good old boy and all that, BUT if he's not the in-form man and IF Anderson and Archer are fit and raring to go, they should play .. (I am surprised that Buttler is being 'rested/'rotated' for the next test)
Archer out of the 2nd test with pain in his elbow, which has been injected.
I would have rotated him out anyway, though it's complicated by Mark Wood being rested until the 3rd Test
None of the seamers should be massively tired anyway, yes it's hot but the number of overs they've been bowling is far lower than outside of Asia. Jimmy bowled 28 overs in the match, when usually he'd bowl over 40. Indeed as Jimmy and Broady only play Test cricket, and both are in incredibly good condition, I don't agree with the "only play 1 of them" rule. This series is too important and will be over by early March, giving them nearly 3 months off before the NZ series.
I've said it before that Anderson is a freak of nature and our greatest ever bowler.
I do wonder, though, whether he would have been quite so long lasting if central contracts weren't available? Remember the days when players had to return to their counties to play and there would have been little opportunities to rest. Plus he does only play Test cricket now so doesn't get involved in the domestic and international white ball circus
I've said it before that Anderson is a freak of nature and our greatest ever bowler.
I do wonder, though, whether he would have been quite so long lasting if central contracts weren't available? Remember the days when players had to return to their counties to play and there would have been little opportunities to rest. Plus he does only play Test cricket now so doesn't get involved in the domestic and international white ball circus
Indeed. While a lot comes down to his natural talent and dedication, he's effectively been a professional Test bowler for several years now, which makes a massive difference
Jimmy has 611 test wicket versus Fred Trueman's 307. However when you look at their overall careers, Jimmy has 989 first class wickets and 399 in the shorter forms whereas Trueman took 2304 first class wickets (plus 28 in the shorter form) a massive difference. How many Test wickets would Trueman have taken if he'd been playing in modern times?
If Wayne Rooney had been a professional England footballer, just playing enough club games to keep him sharp, he'd be playing until he was 40!
3rd test is the day nighter with the Pink ball right? And all 3 of the first 3 are pretty close together.
With that in mind at the start of the series I said I would go with:
1) Anderson and Archer 2) Broad and Archer 3) Broad and Anderson
Broad was in form in Sri Lanka too so deserves a go, not sure Jimmy could play 3 basically back to back tests in those conditions without his body going into the "red zone" and being at serious risk of injury.
That way you have your 3 best quicks involved and ready to go so you can throw anything at the last 2 matches aided by Mark Wood coming back into the squad.
I'd be tempted to Sub Stone for Archer and stick with the plan. But if the medical/ sports science people think Anderson can manage all 3 then maybe we will see Broad and Anderson together.
I am a big fan of Moeen, but he has not bowled very well for some time, hope we can see the old Moeen back, with the bat as well, he will be good batting at 8.
I think the emergence of Bess and Leach will be a good thing for moeen. I think it weighed heavily on him being our frontline spinner when he probably felt more comfortable being more of a batsman, and that again put more pressure on his batting. He’s obviously incredibly popular in the dressing room (both root and Morgan have both made sure to pick him in their squads regularly even when his form and confidence were rock bottom), I think we might see the old moeen with something to prove again.
Comments
The toss played a big part
England's fielding and attitude in the field was far superior..does that raise questions marks on kohli or are England just fitter?
India have some gun batsmen but playing for 5 days ,as opposed to limited overs is the ultimate test..sometimes a sibley innings is more valuable than a pant knock
India won their Aussie series against the odds as they played as a team...in this match they were out teamed ..questions over kohlis influence..is he too big a star ?
So looking forward to the next test ..foakes keeping (how much we ll miss buttler) ..will we keep Jimmy in ? Will woakes come in to make it a rhyming late middle order?
Bore off Bowyer
It all worked out perfectly. Brilliant coaching and brilliant captaincy.
If we had given India another 10 overs last night, we might have got another couple out before the close of play. We might have got a tired Kohli in to bat with 15 minutes of play last night, instead of him coming in fresh today. And then opened with Jimmy this morning when the ball was reverse swinging.
I saw just after I posted that you'd already nicked my joke.
None of the seamers should be massively tired anyway, yes it's hot but the number of overs they've been bowling is far lower than outside of Asia. Jimmy bowled 28 overs in the match, when usually he'd bowl over 40. Indeed as Jimmy and Broady only play Test cricket, and both are in incredibly good condition, I don't agree with the "only play 1 of them" rule. This series is too important and will be over by early March, giving them nearly 3 months off before the NZ series.
I do wonder, though, whether he would have been quite so long lasting if central contracts weren't available? Remember the days when players had to return to their counties to play and there would have been little opportunities to rest. Plus he does only play Test cricket now so doesn't get involved in the domestic and international white ball circus
Jimmy has 611 test wicket versus Fred Trueman's 307. However when you look at their overall careers, Jimmy has 989 first class wickets and 399 in the shorter forms whereas Trueman took 2304 first class wickets (plus 28 in the shorter form) a massive difference. How many Test wickets would Trueman have taken if he'd been playing in modern times?
If Wayne Rooney had been a professional England footballer, just playing enough club games to keep him sharp, he'd be playing until he was 40!
With that in mind at the start of the series I said I would go with:
1) Anderson and Archer
2) Broad and Archer
3) Broad and Anderson
Broad was in form in Sri Lanka too so deserves a go, not sure Jimmy could play 3 basically back to back tests in those conditions without his body going into the "red zone" and being at serious risk of injury.
That way you have your 3 best quicks involved and ready to go so you can throw anything at the last 2 matches aided by Mark Wood coming back into the squad.
I'd be tempted to Sub Stone for Archer and stick with the plan. But if the medical/ sports science people think Anderson can manage all 3 then maybe we will see Broad and Anderson together.
So looks like Broad in for Anderson and one of Stone/Woakes to replace Jof.
Moeen for Bess is the right call.