England tour of India, Jan 25 - March 11

[sussexpob]

Some of England's decision making in the field in this test has been confusing. Going with Root with the new ball first innings and not giving Renan a spell until very late didn't make much sense, but in the second innings Hartley then had to wait after Root while Renan came on first change. Doesn't highlight much of a thought process about what they thought each person in the attack was going to do. With Bashirs height, id have thought the extra bounce he'd get would have been more suited to bowl with the new ball first innings.... and why is Root getting anywhere near the ball in both innings (and why is he bowling so much first innings) before three specialists? Hartley took 7-for last test, and mysteriously didn't get the ball until third change.... I dont really get it at all.

[sussexpob]

Any hope of a miracle might be wiped out by that Bumrah ball keeping very low. Batting is going to get progressively tougher, if England get within 100 runs of this total, it would be a mammoth effort.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Isn't it just that they see the leg spinner as a second innings bowler? I've seen England do that in India before. Maybe a case of enforcing prethinking on the events, But BBC updates are saying that it was mainly Stokes' improvisation that brought about India's collapse... which was 6-44.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I thought Root opened the bowling to get a few overs out the way while the ball lost its shine without tiring the main spinners. Maybe he's more of a skiddy bowler too (criticism I've seen is the others are a bit loopy). Root was pretty effective in the first game... he kept runs down with the new ball, even if his wickets came later on.

[mikesiva]

India 255 all out

Gill 104
Axar 45

Hartley 4-77
Rehan 3-88

Target 399

[Durhamfootman]

399 seems a lot. If England had to knock off 250 in 50 overs, I'd fancy them to do that, but I don't expect them to get many more than 250.

[sussexpob]

t BBC updates are saying that it was mainly Stokes' improvisation that brought about India's collapse... which was 6-44.

I guess when your up, you are up.... Stokes even gets credit for three wickets shooting along the floor rather than bouncing, or England taking wickets from rank full tosses and long hops....

Of course, BBC also said that Stokes would be happy to be 150 behind, because he excels in backs to the wall playing.....

I think from the last statement we can assume the live feed this match is being done by a Stokes fan boy who is probably a bit of a moron.

[sussexpob]

I dont think its exactly controversial as a point, really. England picked three full time spinners and gave the ball for 8 overs to the part timer to start... who got shelled half way round India, and the bloke doing the shelling got a good start and made 200....

I would suggest the fact England didn't repeat the tactic in the second innings suggests the captain himself realised it was a terrible idea.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Fair enough, the BBC text commentary isn't profoundly insightful! Mostly a generator of twitter feedback.

[meninblue]

Although England spinners haven't fully tested him , Ben Foakes has been very impressive whilst keeping against what was bowled.

Atlhough the wickets isnt' supporting the spinners as other wickets have done in past, the target for England outs enough psychological pressure batting on Day 4. Having won the toss we should be taking advantage of the situation and winning the test.

Would like to see one more spinner being played instead of Mukesh Kumar. Srikhar Bharat too is a wasted spot. This certainly a poorly selected India playing 11 for a home test series.

Rohit Sharma needs to give a good contribution which has been missing. Shreyas Iyer also needs to make significant individual score in remaining tests. The overall Indian batting performance is just not good in the two tests.

[Durhamfootman]

I would suggest the fact England didn't repeat the tactic in the second innings suggests the captain himself realised it was a terrible idea.

Root did take wickets in the first test, though, so I can understand why Stokes opened with him in the first innings of this test. All the pre-series talk I heard was that Root was going to open the bowling with Wood at Hyderabad, but then didn't and it was Hartley who got bludgeoned instead. Hartley came back strongly in the 4th innings, so hopefully Root can come back strongly in the 4th innings too. He's due a few runs, I think, and this would be a good time to remember what he's really in the side for

[Durhamfootman]

I suppose conventional thinking would have 2 seamers to open the bowling, but then after the first few overs, one of them is barely going to bowl in the rest of the innings, so England perhaps think it's worth taking a hit early in the match. Certainly the second seamers for India haven't bowled much at all and the only other way England could get 3 spinners not called Root on the park would be to give the gloves to Young Jonny Blameless and that would be the best possible present for India, imo

If Stokes could bowl, of course, things would be different, but there you go.... he can't.... and there's a cost to that

[bigfluffylemon]

Miracle needed. Again. Surely lightning won't strike twice?

[sussexpob]

Although England spinners haven't fully tested him , Ben Foakes has been very impressive whilst keeping against what was bowled

Very true. Foakes kept excellently yesterday, took a couple of bottom edges by staying low through the shot... he's a step up for England from Bairstow and Buttler behind the stumps.

Rohit Sharma needs to give a good contribution which has been missing

Rohit looks lost at the moment. Anderson served up some great bowling to him this test, but even against the spinners he hasn't looked himself.

[sussexpob]

I thought Root opened the bowling to get a few overs out the way while the ball lost its shine without tiring the main spinners. Maybe he's more of a skiddy bowler too (criticism I've seen is the others are a bit loopy)

Bashir was sold on the fact he is tall and gets variable bounce or natural variations from the pitch, so bowling with the new ball would have made sense, as the harder ball will come on quicker, bounce more, and turn more. Anil Kumble, another taller spinner, always said he loved bowling with the new ball with that style, and said he'd have put himself on every game if he had his way.... a few spinners have been the same. There seems the idea that spinners find it tougher with a hard ball, and maybe leg spinners find it more difficult because of the grip, but finger spinners shoud really only be able to benefit..