I wouldn't want to leave England anything gettable, no matter how hard that looks with Root and Stokes in the side. India have loads of time. It was a great call by Root in the first test allowing the game to go away from India, it changed the way they approached their final innings and on these pitches trying to stay in and not play shots seems to be a recipe for getting out.
Thinking this through, I wonder if we will actually see that much more of Jos Buttler in Tests should Foakes sort out his susceptibility against fast short pitched stuff.
The argument for Buttler leaving is because he has been constantly in a bubble but let's not forget that he was at the IPL 'til November and will be in another one from and prior to the 2021 IPL in April. England might decide that, with Buttler's ongoing commitments to white ball cricket, that they would now be better off without him.
You could argue that we've done considerably better with Buttler in the team than not, this year
What's happened in this match is what I feared would happen last week.
An awful lot of undercooked players out there, it's hard enough to play in India without doing so having played so little cricket. It's so hard to compete when your spinners keep giving away easy runs
We won the first test and we played a couple of tests in Sri Lanka.
India were still celebrating their fantastic series win in Australia and were slow out the blocks in the first test which was a pussycat in comparison to this tiger of a "prepared" pitch.
Home advantage in cricket, and especially in India is off the scale unless the other side have world class bowlers or batsmen.
Roots and Anderson were world class in the first test. Joe got a top edge going for the sweep which he played so well in first test and Anderson wasn't playing.
Burns and Stokes weren't in Sri Lanka, while the likes of Pope, Moeen, Foakes and Stone didn't play.
I understand why we're rotating, but it's a massive ask to come in and bat in these conditions, unless you get a flat pitch like the 1st Test. The same would apply to players from other countries, flying in to immediately face Jimmy, Broad and Woakes on a green pitch at Old Trafford without any warm up matches.
I’m no Cricket aficionado but looked to me like a few of ours had forgotten about playing in front of a home crowd and melted under the pressure.
Just never really understood the batting approach. After seeing the pitch and India all out in 4 sessions, it would never be a draw game, so the onus was on us to get some runs on the board to keep it a contest. Wickets were always likely to go from what we’d seen.
Yet we batted in a style that just invited and increased pressure. We nervously patted and prodded, bringing the field in, allowing them to crank up the pressure. Nibbling and nicking at 1 or 2 an over wasn’t going to make any dent on their score and just increase further pressure every time we lost a wicket. It was the 53rd over the first time we attempted a shot over the top (Leach). Just such nervous negative batting that saw us out sharpish and with so little to show for it.
Happy to be put right by someone who knows the game better than me
No wonder Joe was shaking his head. This umpire is watching a different match. No way was he playing a shot.
Just not getting the breaks.
Always been the same in India, they cheat pure and simple, the reason neutral umpires first came in. Sadly due to COVID they are able to go back to type.
For once I actually agree with what Michael Vaughan said. Root needs to just accept that the conditions and umpires have been against England. Keep the morale up no matter how this test finishes and move on to the next.
Anyone thinking we were going to go into India and win 3 or 4-0 is cuckoo. If you’d offered root 1-1 after 2 played I am sure he’d have taken that, especially going into a day/nighter with a pink ball.
India have undoubtedly played the conditions much better but I do feel like all the little things have gone against us, as well as the biggies of losing the toss and the umpires contriving to ensure this test finishes in 3 days so they can have a rest.
I’m no Cricket aficionado but looked to me like a few of ours had forgotten about playing in front of a home crowd and melted under the pressure.
Just never really understood the batting approach. After seeing the pitch and India all out in 4 sessions, it would never be a draw game, so the onus was on us to get some runs on the board to keep it a contest. Wickets were always likely to go from what we’d seen.
Yet we batted in a style that just invited and increased pressure. We nervously patted and prodded, bringing the field in, allowing them to crank up the pressure. Nibbling and nicking at 1 or 2 an over wasn’t going to make any dent on their score and just increase further pressure every time we lost a wicket. It was the 53rd over the first time we attempted a shot over the top (Leach). Just such nervous negative batting that saw us out sharpish and with so little to show for it.
Happy to be put right by someone who knows the game better than me
I’m no Cricket aficionado but looked to me like a few of ours had forgotten about playing in front of a home crowd and melted under the pressure.
Just never really understood the batting approach. After seeing the pitch and India all out in 4 sessions, it would never be a draw game, so the onus was on us to get some runs on the board to keep it a contest. Wickets were always likely to go from what we’d seen.
Yet we batted in a style that just invited and increased pressure. We nervously patted and prodded, bringing the field in, allowing them to crank up the pressure. Nibbling and nicking at 1 or 2 an over wasn’t going to make any dent on their score and just increase further pressure every time we lost a wicket. It was the 53rd over the first time we attempted a shot over the top (Leach). Just such nervous negative batting that saw us out sharpish and with so little to show for it.
Happy to be put right by someone who knows the game better than me
Comments
I understand why we're rotating, but it's a massive ask to come in and bat in these conditions, unless you get a flat pitch like the 1st Test. The same would apply to players from other countries, flying in to immediately face Jimmy, Broad and Woakes on a green pitch at Old Trafford without any warm up matches.
Yet we batted in a style that just invited and increased pressure. We nervously patted and prodded, bringing the field in, allowing them to crank up the pressure. Nibbling and nicking at 1 or 2 an over wasn’t going to make any dent on their score and just increase further pressure every time we lost a wicket. It was the 53rd over the first time we attempted a shot over the top (Leach). Just such nervous negative batting that saw us out sharpish and with so little to show for it.
Should be disciplined but they won’t.
Apologies when we reach the target with 9 wickets down
Joe said it was well wide of the bat !
100 and then declare is India's aim.
Despite possessing pace, I don't think I've seen Stone batter and bruise Test batsmen.
482 here we come.