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.
Results 1 to 19 of 19
Thread: England in India - where now?
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29-11-2016 10:32 AM #1
England in India - where now?
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01-12-2016 06:02 AM #2
And Hales may not be picked due to refusing to tour Bangladesh. Get Geoffrey and his stick of rhubarb in
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11-12-2016 06:18 AM #3
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.There's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
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11-12-2016 06:23 AM #4
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.There's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
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11-12-2016 06:46 AM #5
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?There's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
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11-12-2016 07:52 AM #6This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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11-12-2016 07:55 AM #7This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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11-12-2016 08:00 AM #8This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show QuoteEvery gimmick hungry yob,
Digging gold from rock and roll
Grabs the mic to tell us,
He'll die before he's sold.
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11-12-2016 08:19 AM #9
England have been poor so far. Bowled out today no doubt.
So frustrating to watch.Cougars!!!
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11-12-2016 10:31 AM #10This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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.There's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
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13-12-2016 04:03 PM #11This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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 ...
(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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15-12-2016 09:14 AM #12
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.Someone once told me that hard work wouldn't kill me.
I thought: "Hell, why take the chance"!
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16-12-2016 01:00 PM #13This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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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16-12-2016 02:59 PM #14This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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.There's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
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16-12-2016 06:23 PM #15This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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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16-12-2016 06:39 PM #16This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show QuoteThere's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
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17-12-2016 08:26 AM #17This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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?
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18-12-2016 06:58 AM #18
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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19-12-2016 08:48 AM #19This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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