England in India - Oct to Jan 2012/13

[Epic]

I suspect Finn for rare pace to bounce out the likes of Raina and Pujara maybe ?

I really don't think Pujara has a short ball problem(at least not to the extent of say a Raina), yes he got out hooking once in the NZ series, but since then he seemed to control it just fine.

 

[Aalay]

Ahmedabad and Nagpur shouldn't be hosting test matches. Only the top tier cities should be hosting them. Don't know when our board will understand how to properly allot venues for test cricket in order for it to do well in India. The Mumbai and Kolkata tests should be awesome.

LOL. Top tier cities? And why is that so? I love it when a test is being held at smaller venues. BTW, have you been to Ahmedabad? Do you even know how big and passionate the city is about cricket? I don't think you have been there and that is why you are talking like this.

 

[spooony]

England struggle against spin. They get unstuck in India a lot of times.

 

[War]

Ahmedabad and Nagpur shouldn't be hosting test matches. Only the top tier cities should be hosting them. Don't know when our board will understand how to properly allot venues for test cricket in order for it to do well in India. The Mumbai and Kolkata tests should be awesome.

Agreed, based on history only Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkotta, New Delhi should host test. I think Ahemedabad is sorta ok too based on the test i've seen their over the last 10 years.

Big size grounds like Nagpur and Chandigarah rather seems to struggle to pull test fans like they do in ODI's.

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Yeah. The stadium had to be redeveloped for the World Cup and now as with any International stadium, the Eden has bucket seats which means fewer people can be crammed in as compared to the concrete stands where a lot more can be accommodated. Yes, a real pity that the capacity got so significantly reduced. However, it still will remain a Colosseum. 65k fans is still more than what most major stadia in teh world would fill up. You will see good crowds for the India-England tests, definitely so in Mumbai and Kolkata which are India`s equivalent of the SCG and the MCG. Even with a low profile off-season India-NZ tests we got crowds on the upwards of 20k on most days in Bangalore and Hyderabad. The atmosphere will be great, more so in Kolkata and Mumbai.

The last time we might have had a 1 lakh capacity crowd at Eden might have been the India-Pakistan test match of 2007 I guess. Even during the SA test of 2010, a couple of huge stands were down for the World Cup redevelopment work.

Well yea i guess your right, 65,000 fans especially at a cricket crazy place like Kolkotta will be bring a great atmosphere still if jam packed. I do recall now indeed that the 2010 saffie test a few huge stands were missing and yet the crowd that was present played a huge part in India winning that test.

 

[Gaurav_7]

Ahmedabad and Nagpur shouldn't be hosting test matches. Only the top tier cities should be hosting them. Don't know when our board will understand how to properly allot venues for test cricket in order for it to do well in India. The Mumbai and Kolkata tests should be awesome.

Why shouldn't those cities be hosting tests? The so called big cities don't bring in crowds nowadays for tests as IPL has led to an overkill of Cricket already. New venues will mean people get in to see Cricket at their place after a long time or something like that. So, that will mean more people at stadiums.

 

[swacker]

Happy with Root being brought in, very surprised Taylor's been left out. Not sure if that's the right decision though, but maybe he refused to change that silly helmet?

 

[MUFC1987]

I think Morgan must be odds on to play. Giving him a central contract suggests that. Which probably leaves one from Root and Compton to open, with the other potentially coming in for Bell (when he's likely to miss one of the Tests). My main surprise to the squad is no backup wicket-keeper. I understand the Lions side is going out a few weeks into the Test series, meaning there's no cover there should Prior get injured. Just seems like a no-brainer to me to take Kieswetter and then have him link up with the Lions when they arrive. Could be a mad dash if something happens to Prior.

 

[JD10]

My main surprise to the squad is no backup wicket-keeper.

People forget that Bairstow if actually a keeper but just a better fielder. That's what he first got brought in Yorkshire for ?

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Well this will be a tough series for both the side. Since Ashwin has been good at home, he will be dangerous and without KP, Trott and Bell will have much to do.

My predictions

Cook - Best England Batsman
Anderson - Best England Bowler

Tendulkar - Best Indian Batsman
Zaheer - Best Indian bowler

and the series would be 2-0 India's favor

 

[Epic]

Ashwin will be India's best bowler, positive.

 

[MUFC1987]

People forget that Bairstow if actually a keeper but just a better fielder. That's what he first got brought in Yorkshire for ?

Hmm, I guess in an emergency, but I don't think you'd pick Bairstow to keep as second choice behind Prior, for a home test for example. I probably should have said no specialist backup keeper.

 

[War]

I know he is way off the radar, but in all this talk of back-up England keepers, i always feel sorry for James Foster. Still the best glovesman in England (and arguably the world) - but due to circumstances and team balance he hasn't been able to be the main glovesman for England.

 

[SaiSrini]

Well this will be a tough series for both the side. Since Ashwin has been good at home, he will be dangerous and without KP, Trott and Bell will have much to do.

My predictions

Cook - Best England Batsman
Anderson - Best England Bowler

Tendulkar - Best Indian Batsman
Zaheer - Best Indian bowler

and the series would be 2-0 India's favor

I have a few changes there as far as Indian top performers go.

Virat Kohli - Best Indian batsman
Pragyan Ojha - Best Indian bowler

I will go with 2-1 in favor of India. England will most likely win at least one test for sure.

 

[Aalay]

Well this will be a tough series for both the side. Since Ashwin has been good at home, he will be dangerous and without KP, Trott and Bell will have much to do.

My predictions

Cook - Best England Batsman
Anderson - Best England Bowler

Tendulkar - Best Indian Batsman
Zaheer - Best Indian bowler

and the series would be 2-0 India's favor

I will change both side

Cook - Best England Batsman
Broad - Best England Bowler

Pujara - Best Indian Batsman
Ashwin - Best Indian bowler

As Gangully said that without KP, it will be surely 4-0 but when we come to real prediction it will be 2-1 for India.

What happened to Trott btw? Is he injured or something?

 

[Epic]

Nothing, he's fit and will be on the plane to India.