Cricket 2nd Test

davidmills

davidmills

Well-known member
So we are going to India with 2 opening batsmen who can’t play spin and 2 spinners who bowled 64 overs between them and couldn’t take a wicket against a far poorer Sri Lankan team than that they will be facing in India.
Oh and Bairstow is going home for a rest.
 
It's always hard playing sub continent spin. I would say at times almost impossible.

I know it's to the detriment of England but I do love watching good spin as much as watching Jimmy swinging the ball around corners at Lords.

We have a crazy cricket schedule. I'm. Stunned how much we are playing this year (especially with covid). I would take series defeat against India to win the ashes. I know it doesn't work like that😕

We still have a few issues. I'm still not convinced by the openers and we definitely don't have a really good spininer who can hold up and end (not since Swann). Then again remember we have Stokes / Pope / Burns and Archer to come back to be classed as 'full strength'.

I just think the ability to play the test cricket 'long game' is in decline with must countries.
 
Bairstow should be batting at three in India, with Foakes keeping wicket. To be honest I can't believe how Foakes was dropped after the last tour of Sri Lanka.

As for this test; what fantastic batting by Root and Bairstow. It's nice to see Root hitting a bit of form.
 
s!ovak said:
Bairstow should be batting at three in India, with Foakes keeping wicket. To be honest I can't believe how Foakes was dropped after the last tour of Sri Lanka.

As for this test; what fantastic batting by Root and Bairstow. It's nice to see Root hitting a bit of form.
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I agree re Foakes

selection depending on conditions


Burns

Crawley/Sibley

Bairstow

Root (c)

Pope/Buttler/Lawrence

Stokes

Foakes (Wk)

Bess/Curran

Archer/Wood

Anderson/Broad

Leach
 
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It sounded like Bairstow has had enough of ‘bubble life’ and wanted to head home rather than go to India? Doesn’t help when him and Butler chase the IPL money but understandable.
 
davidmills said:
Which is why you want your best team out there, and why Bairstow should be going to India.
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There's certainly an argument for him going. However, there's so much cricket played these days with all the various formats and we have options, so it's going to happen to most players at some point that they are rested and saved for other formats and series
 
for 1st test in India I would go with
1 to 7 for batting
Burns
Bairstow
Stokes
Root (c)
Pope
Buttler
Foakes (Wk)

For bowling for 1st test in India I would go with
Archer
Broad
Anderson
Leech

With Stokes and Root as back up to bowl a lot more overs.
 
Don’t want Bairstow opening but at least gets England’s 3 best players of spin into top 4 of batting order
 
Don‘t think Pope is going to be fit until the 3rd test. Imo Crawley doesn’t deserve to be dropped and should be given a run in the team at 3 where he wants to bat. I like Burns and comes back in but still question marks over his position. Imo the problem is Sibley who is rated by England and as done ok until now. Just think with his technique he’s not going to score many runs in India.
 
davidmills said:
Don’t want Bairstow opening but at least gets England’s 3 best players of spin into top 4 of batting order
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Don't think that spinners are India's main threat anymore. Look at the pace bowlers they have now - fitness an issue for some, Sharmer, Bhuveneshwar, Shammi, Yadav, Bumrah and then the young lads who did for the Aussies - Siraj, Thaka, Saini and a few others as well!

Don't think Bairtow would be good option to open against these but when the ball is 30 or so overs old he can come into his own, so I think he is best at 4 or 5 but those places are already taken by Root and Stokes.
 
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