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

[hopeforthebest]

Poor slash outside off from Bairstow could have waited until after lunch as Woakes has to come in with 8 minutes to go.

[bigfluffylemon]

Bairstow isn't half getting on with it. Stokes too, but he's riding his luck a bit. Still, India have dropped at least five in this innings, so have no-one but themselves to blame for England getting a good total.

Highest score by a visiting team in India for nearly four years - since England's last visit, in fact. Which bodes well - since 2010 no visiting team has won in India without a score of at least 400 on the board. In fact barring washouts no team's even managed a draw in India in the last six years without scoring at least 350 in one innings. On the flip side, India has recently beaten teams that have scored over 450 in the first innings, so although England are doing well, can't get complacent.

Geez, India do have a long tail, though. Ashwin is a viable allrounder, but with him coming in at six, the Indian lower order is definitely vulnerable.

Bairstow's out. Good innings - England have scored over 120 this session for two wickets.

[hopeforthebest]

If Jimmy comes back into the team for the next test it surely means Woakes will be dropped that leaves the team with Broad and Stokes, both of whom have a history of getting injured during games and Anderson returning from injury.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Fantastic run rate this morning.

Wonder how those cracks are doing on the pitch? By the look of the pitch on day one you would think it should completely fall apart by day five!

[yuppie]

How have England blunted Indias spinners? Not watching the game but at present their figures look like they have been very ineffective. Have the dropped catches come of their bowling? Or is the pitch so docile that they are easy to face?

[hopeforthebest]

How have England blunted Indias spinners? Not watching the game but at present their figures look like they have been very ineffective. Have the dropped catches come of their bowling? Or is the pitch so docile that they are easy to face?

The dropped catches have all beem off pace bowlers Yadev the greatest sufferer. Positive batting but mostly risk free. spin not very effective on this pitch Ashin has got maybe two to beat the bat.

[bigfluffylemon]

Mishra's been all over the shop, frankly.

Ashwin has already bowled 38 overs

Woakes out. England have a long tail, but you feel that Stokes needs to stick around if they're going to have a shot at that 500-550 total that would really pile the pressure on India.

[yuppie]

Mishra's been all over the shop, frankly.

Ashwin has already bowled 38 overs

Woakes out. England have a long tail, but you feel that Stokes needs to stick around if they're going to have a shot at that 500-550 total that would really pile the pressure on India.

The figures certainly don't make good reading.

Maybe a bit more in it for the quicks then, which will suit England.

[bigfluffylemon]

Is Broad going to be the best number 11 ever? Ansari is coming in at 10 with an average of over 30 and 3 first class hundreds to his name.

[bigfluffylemon]

Better from India after lunch. Even Stokes' strike rate is dropping as he creeps through the nervous nineties

[yuppie]

Stokes gets there

Looks like England will get a fair few overs in this evening. Give an idea how easy this pitch is for batting.

[bigfluffylemon]

Hundred up for Stokes, his second of the year

3 hundreds in an innings - after Bangladesh, who would have thought that? England haven't had three individual centurions in an innings since 2011 (they managed it twice in the 2010-11 Ashes, including the first test in Brisbane, and once in 2011 v Sri Lanka. Cook scored 100 each time). Not since.

Another little stat - India have never won at home when conceding more than 480 in an innings. Some records are going to have to be broken for those 5-0 predictions to come true. But I think after Adelaide 2006, no England fan is ever going to be comfortable until after the opposition has batted, even with 500+ on the board.

[Durhamfootman]

England going great guns. Centuries all over the place. Looks as though India have dropped a right bollok...... in more ways than one. Not going according to the script atm.

[Dr Cricket]

Pitch must be flat if stokes is getting hundreds

[Gingerfinch]

Blimey, three centurions

We have at least scored enough runs to put pressure on India.