England in India - where now?

Short answer, of course, is Mumbai in just over a week.

But who plays, in what order?

And who is (allegedly) organising and coaching these players?

Hameed apparently is coming home for surgery to have a plate inserted in his hand. Ballance and Duckett apparently are now "unpickable". So batting-wise they're deep in the brown stuff and needing an urgent reinforcement (or two).

They played three spinners and three seamers this time out (though Batty looked about as much use as a chocolate fireguard and Moeen surely shouldn't be batting #4 - maybe not batting at all?) - and this on a wicket that looked as good and fair a wicket as I've seen in a long time. In the Punjab, where it's relatively cool and where conditions are closest to those in England. Root, Bairstow and Stokes were all moved up the order in the second innings and none of them appeared to appreciate the honour. (Actually, they had already been moved up because of Duckett's "unpickability". Sheesh!)

So which lucky batsman form the Lions will get the call to stand in front of the firing-squad this time?

And all said, the Indian performance was absolutely first-class, bowlers and batsmen both.

And Hales may not be picked due to refusing to tour Bangladesh. Get Geoffrey and his stick of rhubarb in

Is there a better sight in cricket than an Indian batsman carelessly hitting a six?

Kohli has just done so. He's already on a double century.

I loved the way Gilchrist would just hit bowlers all over the park. I can just about remember the West Indies in their pomp,disdainfully smacking the ball to all ends of the pitch and usually out of it.

There's something about India though, no doubt informed by their absolute passion for the game. Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid, fine batsmen all, but with such grace and freedom of movement.

Kohli is an absolute talent, a joy to watch.

Out for 235 going for a big shot and sliced it a bit.

India now lead by over two hundred runs and there's still a lot of cricket to play. Pitch is turning well,though the England bowlers haven't capitalised on it yet.

Good bit of analysis by Mike Atherton. Honest and fair.

Why do we have great commentators and analysts in cricket, both radio and TV, yet most football coverage is illiterate?

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Good bit of analysis by Mike Atherton. Honest and fair.

Why do we have great commentators and analysts in cricket, both radio and TV, yet most football coverage is illiterate?

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Because most cricketers went to private schools (I would assume) and most footballers didn't (go to school 😎).

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Is there a better sight in cricket than an Indian batsman carelessly hitting a six?

Kohli has just done so. He's already on a double century.

I loved the way Gilchrist would just hit bowlers all over the park. I can just about remember the West Indies in their pomp,disdainfully smacking the ball to all ends of the pitch and usually out of it.

There's something about India though, no doubt informed by their absolute passion for the game. Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid, fine batsmen all, but with such grace and freedom of movement.

Kohli is an absolute talent, a joy to watch.

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I was in India a couple of years ago with work in Kolkata. There were people playing cricket everywhere. Public nets in any green space available. Kids playing at the side of streets. All just playing with mates. No coaching going on...just free play. Brilliant.

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Originally Posted by Tory Hibby

Because most cricketers went to private schools (I would assume) and most footballers didn't (go to school 😎).

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That doesn't explain why the foreign pundits operate at a level far above that of the average football commentator.

England have been poor so far. Bowled out today no doubt.

So frustrating to watch.

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Originally Posted by Tory Hibby

Because most cricketers went to private schools (I would assume) and most footballers didn't (go to school 😎).

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I did wonder that. I first got into cricket when I was in Australia though and the commentators on ABC weren't posh!!

I do wonder whether we get what we settle for. The guys on TMS are excepional and have been through the decades. When C4 won the coverage they went big,with Mark Nicholas, Simon Hughes and Richie Benaud,who were outstanding, especially RB. There seems to be a neverending stream of articulate and confident ex-players who can pundit.

In football terms, I like the European football show on BT on a Sunday - James Richardson, Guillem Balague, Raphael Honigstein etc. Gabriel Marcotti too is excellent.

The broadcasters will put on what they think we want to watch or hear. Currently, for football,that's abysmal and it's up to us to make that different.

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Is there a better sight in cricket than an Indian batsman carelessly hitting a six?

Kohli has just done so. He's already on a double century.

I loved the way Gilchrist would just hit bowlers all over the park. I can just about remember the West Indies in their pomp,disdainfully smacking the ball to all ends of the pitch and usually out of it.

There's something about India though, no doubt informed by their absolute passion for the game. Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid, fine batsmen all, but with such grace and freedom of movement.

Kohli is an absolute talent, a joy to watch.

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Cuthbert Gordon Greenidge scoring 214* in the 2nd Test at Lord's in 1984. (The six hit over his shoulder at 10.40? Unbelievable.)

Ritchie Benaud - "It's as though the heavy sandbag has been applied ... to the base of the skull ... :not worth

(Next man in was I V A Richards, btw .... Poor chap didn't get a look in.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XO-96NSsAw


Kohli's 235 was magisterial, the definition of a captain's innings.

But he still has to do it in England ....

England knew that Indian pitches favour the spinners, but relied on their seam bowlers as usual.

They need to adapt to the game and start encouraging more spinners or they'll never do well on the sub-continent.

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Originally Posted by derekHFC

England knew that Indian pitches favour the spinners, but relied on their seam bowlers as usual.

They need to adapt to the game and start encouraging more spinners or they'll never do well on the sub-continent.

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Today looks a little better, but we've said that before in this series.

You can't tell what the wicket's really like until both sides have batted.

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Originally Posted by Doddie

Cuthbert Gordon Greenidge scoring 214* in the 2nd Test at Lord's in 1984. (The six hit over his shoulder at 10.40? Unbelievable.)

Ritchie Benaud - "It's as though the heavy sandbag has been applied ... to the base of the skull ... :not worth

(Next man in was I V A Richards, btw .... Poor chap didn't get a look in.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XO-96NSsAw


Kohli's 235 was magisterial, the definition of a captain's innings.

But he still has to do it in England ....

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Sublime shot!

I like how the fielder signals the six so the middle of the pitch know.

I agree with you about Kohli. India have rarely been overly convincing in England in recent times.

And despite the loss of this series, I don't think England have become a bad team. There's a lot of strength there, running through the side.

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Sublime shot!

I like how the fielder signals the six so the middle of the pitch know.

I agree with you about Kohli. India have rarely been overly convincing in England in recent times.

And despite the loss of this series, I don't think England have become a bad team. There's a lot of strength there, running through the side.

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I thought you'd enjoy it. I'm still not completely sure how he managed to middle it in that position. Greenidge and Gomes at the wicket and Ritchie B in the commentary box. Those were the days!

Yup. I have to say that I'm not totally convinced by Bayliss, however. Something not quite right there, I think.

They were always going to struggle in India; lack of a convincing spinner and batsmen who aren't used to playing against genuine top-class spin bowling don't help.

Odd how Rashid blossomed while Saqlain was with the party; he's rather tailed off since he left. Looks like England need to sign Saqlain up PDQ.

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Originally Posted by Doddie

I thought you'd enjoy it. I'm still not completely sure how he managed to middle it in that position. Greenidge and Gomes at the wicket and Ritchie B in the commentary box. Those were the days!

Yup. I have to say that I'm not totally convinced by Bayliss, however. Something not quite right there, I think.
They were always going to struggle in India; lack of a convincing spinner and batsmen who aren't used to playing against genuine top-class spin bowling don't help.

Odd how Rashid blossomed while Saqlain was with the party; he's rather tailed off since he left. Looks like England need to sign Saqlain up PDQ.

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Saqlain seems like a no-brainer but someone (I think it was Cook but could be wrong, maybe Strauss) was in the Guardian a few weeks ago playing down the need for him! I can't remember how they justified it but it seemed a touch implausible!

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Saqlain seems like a no-brainer but someone (I think it was Cook but could be wrong, maybe Strauss) was in the Guardian a few weeks ago playing down the need for him! I can't remember how they justified it but it seemed a touch implausible!

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It would seem to me to be beyond question that English spin bowling needs drastic improvement.

Rashid has plenty of potential, but needs top-quality coaching - and that surely means someone like Saqlain. Mark Butcher was on the Verdict during the Third Test talking about Rashid and Saqlain and said that in England if a spinner can bowl line and length and keep the runs down, he's considered a 'top' spinner. The point, he said - and I would have thought it should be obvious - is to TAKE WICKETS.

Everyone agreed - and then Bob Keys started off, "Yes, but what you've got to remember is that ..." and made a string of excuses as to why not, blah, blah, blah, it's different when it comes to English pitches and so on. Coach them. Teach them their trade. It's not rocket science, surely.

The present Indian team are a perfect example of how limited over and T20 cricket needn't affect the form of the Test team - India hosts one of the biggest, jazziest limited-overs tournament in cricket and their Test team's doing very well, thank you very much.

There's potentially a cracking good England team right there now. So why are they all at sixes and sevens?

Well, well well, lookee here. Virat Kohli out for less than three figures - 15 to be precise. Stunned silence in the ground. A beautiful bit of bowling from Broad. How are the mighty fallen!

Probably for the best - I have to say that the adulation from the home commentators was beginning to verge on the emetic.

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Originally Posted by Doddie

Well, well well, lookee here. Virat Kohli out for less than three figures - 15 to be precise. Stunned silence in the ground. A beautiful bit of bowling from Broad. How are the mighty fallen!

Probably for the best - I have to say that the adulation from the home commentators was beginning to verge on the emetic.

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Just left space for someone else to step up to the plate