England Versus India - 1st Test (9 Nov - 13 Nov)

[backfootpunch]

Just seen the Root dismissal. India definitely got lucky there.

Yeah i thought that as well.

He got lucky earlier so it evens out.

But previous decisions should not dictate later decisions. Would like to hear why the 3rd umpire thought it was out.

Rod tucker gave him out because yadav was smiling

Which is just outrageous

If he was actually celebrating he wouldn't have tried to catch it again and spun around in panic when he palmed it over his head

[Dr Cricket]

Spinners were awful though today, especially ashwin.
God knows how full Ashwin was bowling today, very unlike him to get his length wrong and not be that accurate on his length.
think I read he conceded something crazy on half volleys and was hardly scored off from a good length.
Jadeja was probably the best bowler on show today.

Ashwin has conceded just 4 runs from the 59 'good length' balls he's bowled. His 34 half volleys have gone for 41 (inc. 6 fours)

this was the stat I saw earlier.

Crucial session tomorrow though since England could lose the Advantage if they collapse tomorrow and you will expect Ashwin and india to come back stronger either with the bat or ball.
If I was bayliss or Cook would be saying guys just bat and bat, don't look to score quickly to set a declaration if they bat 2 days they will get loose deliveries and be close to 600+ anyway.
what they can't afford is getting all out for 450-500 and giving India a decent chance of winning the game if they get close to England total.
with the way pitch is playing on day 1, there no guarantee the ball will actually turn or be challenging for the Indian batsman if the english spinners are bowling on day 5 or 4.
always find these types of pitches being a lottery if a side will win or draw, especially if India loses the toss.
generally find it as India drawing the game if they lose the toss and winning the game if they win the toss.

[Arthur Crabtree]

450-500 is about 200-250 more than most imagined they would get in an innings in India. That would be a decent score- a very good score in India in recent times. It would give their spinners a cushion. Wouldn't guarantee a draw, but it would be a handy start to the series. A promising day doesn't really justify moving a good score to 600.

England need to take time out of the game. The onus is on India to dominate. Squeeze the time and see if they do something crazy. England would be thrilled to bat until tea, but if possible, they should bat tomorrow (I know this won't happen- just a hypothetical).

[Dr Cricket]

good point arthur, but they probably don't want to ruin the good days work tomorrow though.
don't know if it is mind games but root thinks batting will be difficult after day 2 and said they will bat and bat and bat till they get all out or over 600 probably.
can't see them declaring unless the pitch is doing all sort.
From past similar pitches can't see the pitch changing till at least end of day 3 or mid day 4 and even then you expect india to get around 250ish if they bat well on last day.
From what I seen 450-500 look par

[Arthur Crabtree]

Mo batting in the top six has paid off. Not something I expected

Yeah. There was always something about his average of 40 with the bat, his near 1500 county runs in his last year before his test cap, and his verging on appalling record with the ball that really made you think....

THIS GUYS A SPINNER...

Im not surprised. In 2013, he was a standout batting candidate. Yet he has been put down in a place he cant perform in, and now given an opportunity, is showing that before all the others it was him who was the prospect years ago before some moronic selector decided he was a spinning tailender.

Point taken. But I didn't really mean from the point of view of his initial selection. But from how he has looked as an international player. He's looked shaky under the short ball and starts uncertainly, and a bit airily, slicing drives through gully and point in particular. He seemed someone who would be no more than a wild card down the order, relying on his bowling to keep him in (and I thought they should have looked at spin alternatives). Less relevantly, his ODI batting has been unproductive.

He got moved up the order for three Tests in Asia last winter, and that didn't go well. Still, he's going to score his third ton of the year tomorrow, as many as Root and Bairstow, and two more than Cook, and averages over 50 since the start of the SA series. So it has been a breakthrough year.

[Arthur Crabtree]

450-500 is about 200-250 more than most imagined they would get in an innings in India. That would be a decent score- a very good score in India in recent times. It would give their spinners a cushion. Wouldn't guarantee a draw, but it would be a handy start to the series. A promising day doesn't really justify moving a good score to 600.

England need to take time out of the game. The onus is on India to dominate. Squeeze the time and see if they do something crazy. England would be thrilled to bat until tea, but if possible, they should bat tomorrow (I know this won't happen- just a hypothetical).

India are by far the better team in the conditions. I still make them favourites for this game, and scoring 600 is currently just a dream. As the underdogs, it's England's role to stay in the game as long as they can and hope for a break at the back end of the match (as nearly happened in the first Test v pakistan last year).

[bigfluffylemon]

450-500 is about 200-250 more than most imagined they would get in an innings in India. That would be a decent score- a very good score in India in recent times. It would give their spinners a cushion. Wouldn't guarantee a draw, but it would be a handy start to the series. A promising day doesn't really justify moving a good score to 600.

England need to take time out of the game. The onus is on India to dominate. Squeeze the time and see if they do something crazy. England would be thrilled to bat until tea, but if possible, they should bat tomorrow (I know this won't happen- just a hypothetical).

Absolutely right Arthur. Even the best teams tend to struggle when chasing the game. Sure, if the deck isn't doing much, India might score 600 in response to an England 500. But if they do, we'll be well into day 5 and there will need to be a collapse for a result. Put on a 450+ in the first innings and you're asking the other side to bat for 150 overs to even reach parity. That's 150 overs to get them out. Pressure is all on the batting side.

[backfootpunch]

450-500 is about 200-250 more than most imagined they would get in an innings in India. That would be a decent score- a very good score in India in recent times. It would give their spinners a cushion. Wouldn't guarantee a draw, but it would be a handy start to the series. A promising day doesn't really justify moving a good score to 600.

England need to take time out of the game. The onus is on India to dominate. Squeeze the time and see if they do something crazy. England would be thrilled to bat until tea, but if possible, they should bat tomorrow (I know this won't happen- just a hypothetical).

Absolutely right Arthur. Even the best teams tend to struggle when chasing the game. Sure, if the deck isn't doing much, India might score 600 in response to an England 500. But if they do, we'll be well into day 5 and there will need to be a collapse for a result. Put on a 450+ in the first innings and you're asking the other side to bat for 150 overs to even reach parity. That's 150 overs to get them out. Pressure is all on the batting side.

With ashwin, Saha and jadeja at 6/7 and 8 a few early wickets we could be in a great position

But knowing england we will be 375 all out and india will make 550

[Arthur Crabtree]

I suppose England's attack doesn't stop being a problem because the batters got runs... The spinners will bowl two bad balls an over. There's no bounce to allow the edges to carry with the new ball, and the outfield might stop swing with the old ball. They remain not good conditions for England.

Still, good start....!

[ddb]

You guys are still so negative!

Brilliant day for England. Kohli will be worried.

[backfootpunch]

I suppose England's attack doesn't stop being a problem because the batters got runs... The spinners will bowl two bad balls an over. There's no bounce to allow the edges to carry with the new ball, and the outfield might stop swing with the old ball. They remain not good conditions for England.

Still, good start....!

Edges did carry for India with the new ball they just kept dropping them

[backfootpunch]

You guys are still so negative!

Brilliant day for England. Kohli will be worried.

Genuinely shocked at this pitch

With a 450+ score we are one broad spell away from being 1-0 up

Wonder if he can manage one in asia

First session tomorrow could be very key

[Arthur Crabtree]

I suppose England's attack doesn't stop being a problem because the batters got runs... The spinners will bowl two bad balls an over. There's no bounce to allow the edges to carry with the new ball, and the outfield might stop swing with the old ball. They remain not good conditions for England.

Still, good start....!

Edges did carry for India with the new ball they just kept dropping them

OK, going by cricinfo.

[ddb]

Plus our batting is v. light.

England's game for the taking really.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Plus our batting is v. light.

England's game for the taking really.

Jinx!