After a terrific series down under where all the tests were exciting to watch (maybe not the first one) it was closely fought contest between the two sides.
This was poor series overall.
Blame it on Pitch, Pink Ball ,poor umpiring , rotational policy etc.
Just didn't feel like watching the matches after the first 2 games.
After a terrific series down under where all the tests were exciting to watch (maybe not the first one) it was closely fought contest between the two sides.
This was poor series overall.
Blame it on Pitch, Pink Ball ,poor umpiring , rotational policy etc.
Just didn't feel like watching the matches after the first 2 games.
This is why I think the series in England will be better. Both sides are more equally matched to play in English conditions and, in general, I think English conditions is a more level playing field between bat and ball (India can be but the gulf between the ability in these sides was huge in the conditions we saw). Ishant, Shami, Bumrah and Siraj is as fearsome a pace attack as India has probably had.
India are the best test team as far as I'm concerned. Winning in England would be huge achievement and set them apart from everyone else.
After a terrific series down under where all the tests were exciting to watch (maybe not the first one) it was closely fought contest between the two sides.
This was poor series overall.
Blame it on Pitch, Pink Ball ,poor umpiring , rotational policy etc.
Just didn't feel like watching the matches after the first 2 games.
The First - Australia humiliated us on a turner at Pune with Smith's Masterclass in both innings.
2nd test at Bangalore was on a similar track as well but India batted first and won also the Ishant mocking Smith , DRS Brainfade added spice to the series.
The 3rd on flat Ranchi Wicket was a draw but a hard fought one. Pujara playing one of his famous Marathon innings.
The 4th test Kohli Injured , Rahane leading the troops for the first Time and led India to a series win.
The Previous India - England series in 2016 was a great watch too , England competed far better on a very good batting pitches scored like 400 runs in every 1st innings test match , its just that they Ran into a certain Virat Kohli who was averaging Bradmanesque in every format he played that year.
Trying to have a think about the England side after that series. Immediate thoughts:
Zak Crawley has a lot of promise, but should be trusted to make number three his own
Jonny Bairstow cannot ever play another Test
Dan Lawrence deserves a long run in the side
Ben Foakes deserves a long run in the side
Dom Bess looks spent for the foreseeable future
Ollie Stone deserves plenty of opportunities, appears a better Test bowler than Archer
So if I were trying to pick a side to play New Zealand:
Rory Burns
Dominic Sibley
Zak Crawley
Joe Root
Ben Stokes
Dan Lawrence
Ben Foakes
Ollie Stone
Jack Leach
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson
The length of that tail is concerning, but one must try to pick the best four bowlers in those slots, imo. If it's a real concern, then Woakes bats at eight.
Trying to have a think about the England side after that series. Immediate thoughts:
Zak Crawley has a lot of promise, but should be trusted to make number three his own
Jonny Bairstow cannot ever play another Test
Dan Lawrence deserves a long run in the side
Ben Foakes deserves a long run in the side
Dom Bess looks spent for the foreseeable future
Ollie Stone deserves plenty of opportunities, appears a better Test bowler than Archer
So if I were trying to pick a side to play New Zealand:
Rory Burns
Dominic Sibley
Zak Crawley
Joe Root
Ben Stokes
Dan Lawrence
Ben Foakes
Ollie Stone
Jack Leach
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson
The length of that tail is concerning, but one must try to pick the best four bowlers in those slots, imo. If it's a real concern, then Woakes bats at eight.
Top 3 run-scorers and top 3 of the top 5 wicket takers were Indians in that series
Top 2 Highest individual score in that series were by Indians.
2nd best bowling spell in that series was by an Indian.
There were 5 centuries scored by Indian batsmen in that series
Three of the five 5 wicket-hauls in that series were by Indians.
Highest winning margin in terms of runs was also by India.
England's top-order was lackluster in that series and they relied on Sam Curran to deliver for them with the bat. Also India played with an injured player in the 4th Test while they had only 3 specialist bowlers bowling for them in the 2nd innings of the 5th Test since one of the players was injured. Also in 3 of the 5 matches of that series India dominated the match until their 4th innings
Yup some great individual performances you have quoted there but it’s a team game and dominating matches until 4th innings (when presumably during the clutch moments England were better) does not make you the better team - the better team generally wins after 4 innings have been completed
it was a five test match series and the better team during that length of series will win
Stone would have played a long time ago had it not been for injuries. I doubt they'll risk him too much until the Ashes except to keep him match fit, in line with the rotation policy. Broad IMO is very lucky to escape scrutiny when he did not pick up a single wicket in two games.
I've once described Archer as someone who could work best as a Cummins like bowler who operates on either side of 140 consistently with a nagging line and length but with the added caveat of an occasional delivery at nearly 150 plus that could be either fuller or shorter. Given how his action does not really vary with difference in speeds or variations, he could be very special.
Pope showed loads of potential, I do think there is a star in there. Get him working on tackling quality spin bowling ASAP, a player of his class could easily adapt. Give him the mental break if he asks for it but I do think he deserves a home series against decent opposition without much scrutiny. How convenient that NZ will be touring right around that time... (They also lack a half decent spinner).
Stokes and Anderson were magnificient with the ball. Stokes in particular, might have to consider getting him to bat at six if he can deliver more overs per day. He also seems to like batting under pressure.
I wouldn't worry about the length of the tail too much, it's high time that England get their best bowlers on the field rather than pick an all-rounder for other reasons. Woakes will probably get to play at home given his record.
Trying to have a think about the England side after that series. Immediate thoughts:
Zak Crawley has a lot of promise, but should be trusted to make number three his own
Jonny Bairstow cannot ever play another Test
Dan Lawrence deserves a long run in the side
Ben Foakes deserves a long run in the side
Dom Bess looks spent for the foreseeable future
Ollie Stone deserves plenty of opportunities, appears a better Test bowler than Archer
So if I were trying to pick a side to play New Zealand:
Rory Burns
Dominic Sibley
Zak Crawley
Joe Root
Ben Stokes
Dan Lawrence
Ben Foakes
Ollie Stone
Jack Leach
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson
The length of that tail is concerning, but one must try to pick the best four bowlers in those slots, imo. If it's a real concern, then Woakes bats at eight.
With England I'm always inclined to not think what I think should be the XI but what will they will pick. I think the IPL might factor in, they might see the first test, at least, as the chance to pre-rest some of the first team players (Buttler, Archer, Bairstow, Woakes, Moeen).
This might also mean a last chance for some vs New Zealand before the pat on the shoulder and 'go score some runs in county cricket, tiger. Pope in particular, maybe Sibley or Burns. I think the reality of the ruination of Jonny Bairstow since Ed Smith came along, might sink in. But I think they're as far away from knowing what their best top 7 is than they were two matches ago. If Zak Crawley hadn't got his 267 he'd be out of the team. He's averaging 20 without that innings.
In England, I think they could pick Anderson, Broad and Woakes with Stokes and a spinner they would win as long as the batters do their job. If Woakes is at 7 or 8 I'd pick him. His strike rate in England is 0.01 better than Fred Trueman AND Neil Mallender. Will they do that? Probably not. I could see this summer being one last hurrah for the Anderson/Broad combo while the fast bowlers that they are planning to win the Ashes with are rotated around them.
I think it will be Moeen vs Leach for the spin option. Due to the lengthy tail I can see Moeen getting the nod. Maybe at 7 with Buttler at 6. That would allow the sensible option of playing Chris Woakes and a fast bowler.
I do think your top 6 looks realistic but Ben Foakes ain't getting picked ahead of Buttler.
Stone would have played a long time ago had it not been for injuries. I doubt they'll risk him too much until the Ashes except to keep him match fit, in line with the rotation policy. Broad IMO is very lucky to escape scrutiny when he did not pick up a single wicket in two games.
Yeah, I still remember him being class for Northants, winning us the T20 final and then borking his knee in celebration. As for Broad, he barely bowled in the two Tests he played and although he wasn't on Anderson's level, nobody England has is on Anderson's level. He's still one of the four best Test bowlers available to England, and should therefore be managed accordingly.
I've once described Archer as someone who could work best as a Cummins like bowler who operates on either side of 140 consistently with a nagging line and length but with the added caveat of an occasional delivery at nearly 150 plus that could be either fuller or shorter. Given how his action does not really vary with difference in speeds or variations, he could be very special.
Archer's elbow is a real problem, and his point of difference compared to Wood and Stone isn't great enough to keep picking him as a first-choice Test bowler at this time. If he still wants to be a big Test player, then the ECB should work with him on rehabilitating and managing that elbow, but his point of difference compared to other white-ball bowlers is greater. In the short term, that should be the driving force behind how his workload is managed.
Pope showed loads of potential, I do think there is a star in there. Get him working on tackling quality spin bowling ASAP, a player of his class could easily adapt. Give him the mental break if he asks for it but I do think he deserves a home series against decent opposition without much scrutiny. How convenient that NZ will be touring right around that time... (They also lack a half decent spinner).
Pope showed lots of potential a year ago, but his highest score since this game is 34. Against spin he was horribly frenetic, and it was unpleasant to watch. In terms of temperament and output, Dan Lawrence has outperformed him this winter, in the same role. That isn't to say that Pope couldn't play his way back into the side again, but he shouldn't be an automatic selection anymore as a specialist batsman with one century and an average of 31 in 17 Test matches.
Stokes and Anderson were magnificent with the ball. Stokes in particular, might have to consider getting him to bat at six if he can deliver more overs per day. He also seems to like batting under pressure.
I fully agree with you re: Stokes being an outstanding asset to the bowling attack, and would always have kept him at six if I were in charge. However, the English team has moved him to five and he has come into his own as a Test batsman. He is definitely one of the five best Test batsmen England have, but is not one of the four best Test bowlers England have, so his batting role is more impactful than his bowling role. If that consigns him to fourth-seamerdom then so be it.
I wouldn't worry about the length of the tail too much, it's high time that England get their best bowlers on the field rather than pick an all-rounder for other reasons. Woakes will probably get to play at home given his record.
I agree that the best bowlers should be the priority, but if it's a marginal decision between say... Broad and Woakes on purely bowling terms (it isn't at the moment but it's a hypothetical) then Woakes should arguably get the nod. Or you take the option of rotating Anderson, Broad and Woakes across two positions in the side. Not Sam Curran though.
This is why I think the series in England will be better. Both sides are more equally matched to play in English conditions and, in general, I think English conditions is a more level playing field between bat and ball (India can be but the gulf between the ability in these sides was huge in the conditions we saw). Ishant, Shami, Bumrah and Siraj is as fearsome a pace attack as India has probably had.
India are the best test team as far as I'm concerned. Winning in England would be huge achievement and set them apart from everyone else.
Been out of the cricket loop with the ongoing pandemic but you really think India can win against England in England. I followed this series a bit and it represented the typical pitch manipulations we’ve grown accustomed to in India.
India may not necessarily be the best test team in the world.
Oh yeah... Could be down to my own poor memory, but I dont remember almost anything from that SA tour of India 2019 or the NZ tour of India 2016.
I do have memory of that 2017 AUS tour of India. I do seem to have better remembrance when India tours overseas. I vividly remember our losses to England and South Africa the last time we toured them. I remember our series win in Australia in 2018/19.
I remember Dean Elgar smashing sixes against Ashwin & Jadeja in Vishakapatnam and Du Plessis wicket taken by Shami in the 2nd innings of the same match. And I also remember that Rabada & Nortje bowled some very tight spells with the new ball in all 3 matches of that series.
The best memory was Rabada getting 3 early wickets from the top order but Rohit still holding his ground and as he crossed the 50 run mark he almost scored at a run a ball without taking risks. And that was the innings when he scored his first double ton Test.
Basically I tend to remember a lot of details regarding the India series that were played since 2013.
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