Story India in England 2011

[Aditya]

Thanks to KBC for the banner​

India in England 2011​

After a remarkable performance in the 50 over world cup, the Indian team is indeed high on confidence and the West Indian tour didn't do any damage to the confidence of the Indian team. Most of the senior players opted out of the tour but the youngsters proved that India's future is bright. Winning the odi series 3-2 and the test series 1-0, the Indian team now heads away to England. This tour will consist of 4 test matches, 1 t20 and 5 odi's. Indian team who has been having a great time over the last couple of months will try and continue their good form on this tour as well.

England team on other hand, had a very poor world cup to say at least. Losing to Bangladesh and Ireland did no good to their confidence at all but a tie against India was indeed something to cheer about for the English fans but a tie was not enough. They were knocked out off the world cup by a excellent performance from the Sri lankan team in the knockout stage but that does not mean that the England team will now be low on confidence. They obviously know that the past is past and it's always better to look forward to the future than the past. England team will try and show the world that whatever happened in the world cup is past and that they are a far better team than what they showed in the world cup.

India toured England for the first time in 1932. Indian team was new to the international cricket and it was pretty obvious that beating a side like England wasn't going to be easy. India managed to beat England after two decades. In 1952, India won their first match against England at Madras (now known as Chennai). Since then, India hasn't looked back and has only improved as a test side. There have been many remarkable moments in the India and England series'. Gavaskar's 221 at the oval, Sachin's first international century at Old Trafford, Ganguly and Dravid making a great start to the international cricket on 1996 tour and who can forge the Natwest series final in 2002, Kaif and Yuvraj took India to a victory after India was struggling at 150 for 4 but still managed to chase 225 made by England. These are few of many remarkable moments in the England and India series'.

It's 2011 and India is again going to England. Cricket fans all over the world have been waiting for this series for quite some time now and why not? Two great international sides are going to take on each other. It's the battle of champions! Follow this story to check out India's campaign in this series.

Tour fixtures​

3 Day Match Somerset vs India at County Ground, Taunton

1st Test India vs England at Lord's

2nd Test India vs England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham

2 Day Match Northamptonshire v India at County Ground, Northampton

3rd Test India vs England at Edgbaston, Birmingham

4th Test India vs England at Kennington Oval, London

ODI Sussex v India at County Ground, Hove

ODI Kent v India at St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury

ODI Leicestershire v India played at Grace Road, Leicester

Only T20I - England v India at Old Trafford, Manchester

1st ODI - England v India at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street

2nd ODI - England v India at The Rose Bowl, Southampton

3rd ODI - England v India at Kennington Oval, London

4th ODI - England v India at Lord's, London

5th ODI - England v India at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff​

 

[Fenil]

This is something going to be interesting to read. When the details of practice will be posted? Eagerly waiting for that.

 

[Gaurav_7]

India, that's the team! Though, personally in real life I'd put England over us atm but, here I hope they do well.

 

[timchrist984]

No offence, but your high reliance on graphics and hard to understand writing has kept me away from your other stories. However, your first post is well written and this looks like a promising story. Keep up the good writing! For me, writing makes the story and graphics are just extras. Maybe I should be less fussy about grammar, but if you keep up the standard you have set in your first post, this will be a great story.

 

[Aditya]

Thanks for a honest feedback mate, I really appreciate it. I agree with what you have said, writing is very important and graphics are just extra. This also depends on an individual, whether he's better at graphics or writing but one thing one can do is, try and improve his writing and this can always be done. From my first story to now, I've worked very hard on my grammar and still do. I'd like to thank 6ry4nj here, he's been very kind and has always helped me with my grammar. I'd make sure that I concentrate on my writing in this story along with graphics. Keep the suggestions coming guys, they do help me a lot to improve the story.

@Great India and User2010 -

 

[Aditya]

Duncan Fletcher (left) and MS Dhoni (right) address the press​

Just a few hours after reaching to England, the new Indian coach, Duncan Fletcher and the captain of the Indian team, MS Dhoni held a press conference. It was a short press conference but a good one. Dhoni was asked a few questions and Fletcher as well, let's have a look at the questions they were asked and the answers they gave....

Q. What are your views on the current English side , do you think they are a good enough side to beat the current No.1 test side i.e. the Indian team?


Dhoni's reply : Well, they're a very good side and there is no question that whether they are a good enough side to beat us or not. They have been a remarkable test side over the last couple of years and a good ODI side as well, a little better test side though according to me.

Q. You guys are going to play a two day practice match against Somerset just the day after tomorrow, it's surely a important match considering that you guys are getting to play just one practice match.

Dhoni's reply : Oh yes, it is a very important match for us. To get to know the conditions better, this is the only chance for us. After this, we will head away to London and play the first test match at Lord's. Although we would have preferred another practice match but that's how the scheduling works....

Q. Are you going to play a full strengthen side in the practice match?

Dhoni's reply : That is something we're yet to talk about. There could be a possibility that one or two senior players might not play in the practice match but most of them will surely play.

Q. This question is to Duncan Fletcher : You coached the Indian team on the tour of West Indies. How was the experience for you?

Fletcher's reply : It was a terrific experience. I was overwhelmed by the response I got from the senior players like Dravid and Laxman on the West Indies tour. They didn't show that they're the legends on the game, they are very down to earth and so is Sachin. He didn't went on the West Indies tour but I've met him a few times before and he is a very kind person and here I am, I get to coach him. I'm very excited to do so, it will be a great experience for sure.

Q. Duncan you have coached the English team before, you do know some of the players that are part of the current English side. Will this help you in telling the strengths and weaknesses of the English players to the Indian players.

Fletcher's reply : Yes, it does work but those players obviously know that I know their weaknesses and they're good enough players to overcome their weaknesses and their currently coach, Andy Flower is a very good coach and he has been working very hard with them.

That's it from the press conference, Duncan Flether and MSD needed a well deserved rest after a long journey. There will be a practice match between these two sides, day after tomorrow. Should be a interesting match that, let's see which senior players play and which players take rest.

 

[Aditya]

India's 15 men squad for the England tour​

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Just a week ago before going to England, the Indian team announced their 15 men squad for the test series against England. Here is the squad :-

MS Dhoni (C)
Virender Sehwag
Gautam Gambhir
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
VVS Laxman
Suresh Raina
Yuvraj Singh
Harbhajan Singh
Zaheer Khan
Irfan Pathan
Ishant Sharma
Virat Kohli
Amit Mishra
Munaf Patel​

Quite a solid squad there. The only selection, one can argue on is of Irfan Pathan. It's been quite some time since he played his last test match or even international match but his performance in the IPL was good. Well, that's what Srikkanth said when he was asked this question by media after the selection of the team. Srikkanth said "No doubt that Irfan knows to swing the ball both the ways. He can be a very dangerous bowler on the England pitches and his more than helpful batting will do a lot of good to the balance of the Indian team".

Virat Kohli will be looking to make the best of this opportunity. Playing against a great side like England will be a great opportunity for him. That is, if he gets a chance to play. Apart from these two selections, the rest selections were expected. The England team on other hand, haven't named their squad yet. They're expected to name their squad after the practice match between India and Somerset. After the practice match, the first test will start after one week. So, England team will have enough time to name their squad.

Credits : To Zax for the Indian team logo

 

[RPHKR]

Waiting for the matches

 

[Gaurav_7]

Irfan Pathan is there? Wow, I just love you for that, Aditya! Kris Srikkanth actually.

 

[RPHKR]

Irfan Pathan is there?

I was a huge fan of him ... But he is now match less .

Good to he's selected ..

 

[Fenil]

Good to have Irfan Pathan there. I'd have preferred Cheteshwar Pujara over Virat Kohli as the former is a good FC player.

 

[The Rock]

Just as I followed your previous ones, I'll be reading this one too. Nice start there. KIU

 

[Monzi]

Great start,Aditya...Because of you, I am starting to read cricket stories.

 

[Aditya]

Andrew Strauss to play for Somerset in the practice match against India​

Andrew Strauss' batting form has been quite poor from the last couple of months. Strauss requested the ECB to allow him to play for Somerset in the practice match against India because he wants to have some practice against the Indian bowlers before the first test match starts. ECB has allowed him to play for Somerset as a special case. Strauss' county is Middlesex but to have some practice against the Indian bowlers he will be representing Somerset for the first time of course. The practice match has got even more interesting now as the former England openers, Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss will be playing again together. This time not for England but for Somerset!

 

[Fenil]

Both Marcus and Strauss together again. India is sure to get some beating now.