England in India

England main side is in India from Nov 2012 thru end of Jan 2013.
The schedule below....and interestingly Eng Performance Side ( meaning A side?) will also be in India overlapping with the senior sides tour.....
I believe Netherland will also be playing the Eng Performance side in 3 games at Poona club.......why at Poona club ?

Tue Oct 30 - Thu Nov 1
09:30 local | 04:00 GMT
05:00 CET TBC v England XI
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Sat Nov 3 - Mon Nov 5
09:30 local | 04:00 GMT
05:00 CET TBC v England XI
Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai

Thu Nov 8 - Sun Nov 11
09:30 local | 04:00 GMT
05:00 CET TBC v England XI
Sardar Patel Stadium B Ground, Motera, Ahmedabad

Thu Nov 15 - Mon Nov 19
09:30 local | 04:00 GMT
05:00 CET 1st Test - India v England
Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

Fri Nov 23 - Tue Nov 27
09:30 local | 04:00 GMT
05:00 CET 2nd Test - India v England
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Wed Dec 5 - Sun Dec 9
09:00 local | 03:30 GMT
04:30 CET 3rd Test - India v England
Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Thu Dec 13 - Mon Dec 17
09:30 local | 04:00 GMT
05:00 CET 4th Test - India v England
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur

Thu Dec 20
20:00 local | 14:30 GMT
15:30 CET 1st T20I - India v England
Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune

Sat Dec 22
20:00 local | 14:30 GMT
15:30 CET 2nd T20I - India v England
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Sun Jan 6 TBC v England XI
Feroz Shah Kotla, DelhiDelhi

Tue Jan 8 TBC v England XI
Harbax Singh Stadium, DelhiDelhi

Fri Jan 11
14:30 local | 09:00 GMT
10:00 CET 1st ODI - India v England
Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

Tue Jan 15
14:30 local | 09:00 GMT
10:00 CET 2nd ODI - India v England
Nehru Stadium, Kochi

Sat Jan 19
14:30 local | 09:00 GMT
10:00 CET 3rd ODI - India v England
HEC International Cricket Stadium Complex, Ranchi

Wed Jan 23
14:30 local | 09:00 GMT
10:00 CET 4th ODI - India v England
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala

Sun Jan 27
14:30 local | 09:00 GMT
10:00 CET 5th ODI - India v England
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

The game at Bandra Kurla Complex I read has been moved to DY Patil stadium.

The important thing from Eng's POV in the 3 practise games will be:

1) what type of pitches they are likely to get in these practise.....it wouldn't help them they get flat Road Strips for practise games...and jumping turning ones in real tests

2) What quality of oppositions will these To-Be-Determined oppositions will be.

In good old day the cream of India's FC cricket and aspirants to the international side would be thrown to test their quality against these visiting sides....

These days as a t.it-for-tat......BCCI throws club class side with a few old Ranji players and mostly fringe/ budding Ranji players.

And god forbid if it is a we can bat 15 and bowl 13 players type of a farcial arrangement....on a road strip against club quality opponents......there ain't much practise that Eng will gain from such Practise games.

Its the present India and former England coach Duncan Fletcher who has played a big role in devaluing those practice matches and introducing the farce of 12 or 3 a side nonsenses.

It seems to be the current way but four tests in just over a month is very concentrated. Clearly no time for any practice matches in between and mighty difficult for a player to come in towards the end of the series.

Does anyone think Fletcher is under pressure? The team have done precisely nothing since his arrival and he just doesn't seem a good fit for me...

He is rightly praised for some of his early work with England but we shouldn't forget that he had become a much maligned figure by his eventual departure in 2007. Yet more of the hallmarks of his later England regime (sticking by players on past glories, poor preparation for major series, haphazard talent identification) are evident in his India team so far than those of his early England regime (increased professionalism, good talent identification (i.e. Trescothick and Vaughan as a captain), strong long-term planning and better batting efforts)

There should have been at least a practice game in between the tests. Fair enough to start with a couple of practice games and then go into the series for a 3 test series, but not so for anything more than that.

I didn't like Fletcher's appointment when it was made, and nothing has happened since then to change my mind.

Fletcher can't believe his luck...wakes up every morning...
pinches himself..........
at his grand old age of 64 when he was begining to plan trips to the local pension office to release his 3K/ month pension..........
he gets a call from BCCI.......half a million dollar per annum package and a 2 year guarnateed assignment
turns up....
to see no decision required to be made.....
Srinivasan and Pawar lobby decides most serious and startegic matters.....with a lobby of Kumble, Ganguly, Gavaskar, shastri type advisors....
selectors give him no say in squad selections...
captain declares the playing XI as a surprise XI at the toss....
and asigns him some catching practise after the coaching tips to youngsters have been given by "senior" batsmen( tendulkar, Dravid etal) and bowlrs by senior bowlers ( Zaheer etal)......
and he has to only pretend to take some notes with a pencil in his diary during the match......as unfortunately laptops came too late in life for him
he pinches himself again...still can't believe his luck...
no responsibilties, no decision making....and hence no accountability.......
a million dollar package...for catching practise and checking the box of " we have a foreign coach".....
OK he doesn't like when he is pushed to go and defend not chasing a small 4th inning total against WI......
and when he is asked to keep his mouth absolutely shut on DRS....he is irritated...
but those are minor inconveniences....
for a guaranteed miilion dollars in his pension days...more than what his illustrious 2 decade...younger countryman and successor in England makes.....and has to put up with all the Ashes and KP.sh.it pressure.....
and a possible million dollar extension looming....if he keeps pleasing them all with no controversies, no interferences....provided too much of good life, increasing belly...doesn't give him a cardiac issue
no accountability, all heat taken by captain and selectors........
he still can't believe it all.....pinches himsefl again

Eng will depart for the India preprartion camp to Dubai in a weks time.

why the camp is required to be in Dubai?....I mean it's only an hour more flying time....go all the way to India a week earlier.
it will be real environment minus the distractions of clubs, and nightlife that Dubai tempts with

I'd suggest because in Dubai they can make use of the excellent facilities at the ICC Global Cricket Academy.

Pietersen's return is a significant uplift for England chances to put up a strong showing.

msp83 wrote:Pietersen's return is a significant uplift for England chances to put up a strong showing.

one side of me is happy to see him back and wants him to do well
the other side hopes the scars and trauma ......in the sordid saga of treachery and betrayal by his own team-mates...and the inflated nose of the jailor-flower....makes it hard for him to regain his form and touch atleats for the better part of India series

http://www.firstpost.com/sports/pietersen-asks-unmukt-to-pace-his-innings-better-495180.html

Pitersen gives advice to Unmukt chand...
OMG...will they drop him again for helping an opponent batsman just before the series with the same opponent

KP_fan wrote:

msp83 wrote:Pietersen's return is a significant uplift for England chances to put up a strong showing.

one side of me is happy to see him back and wants him to do well
the other side hopes the scars and trauma ......in the sordid saga of treachery and betrayal by his own team-mates...and the inflated nose of the jailor-flower....makes it hard for him to regain his form and touch atleats for the better part of India series

wff

KP_fan wrote:http://www.firstpost.com/sports/pietersen-asks-unmukt-to-pace-his-innings-better-495180.html

Pitersen gives advice to Unmukt chand...
OMG...will they drop him again for helping an opponent batsman just before the series with the same opponent

Good one KPF!. I won't be entirely surprised if the kids pick up a silly little fight on this!.

This would be my side for the first test

Cook (c)
Root
Trott
KP
Bell
Prior (wk)
Patel
Swann
Broad
Anderson
Finn

Monty unluckily missing out, and Finn in for Bres who is in better form.

I'd be very surprised if Bairstow isn't given at least a couple of tests to prove himself after his last outing, so:

Cook
Root
Trott
KP
Bell
Bairstow
Prior
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Finn

msp83 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:http://www.firstpost.com/sports/pietersen-asks-unmukt-to-pace-his-innings-better-495180.html

Pitersen gives advice to Unmukt chand...
OMG...will they drop him again for helping an opponent batsman just before the series with the same opponent

Good one KPF!. I won't be entirely surprised if the kids pick up a silly little fight on this!.

KP_fan.
Is Chand not currently a member of the same team as KP? Where is the issue with helping out a team mate? He is currently NOT the opposition and KP is a senior member of that team. It happens in all sports, if Chand was currently the opposition, ie. playing against a team with KP in it then it would be a different matter. You are just trying to generate issues out of nothing again.

msp83.
I am really let down by you, you were once an excellent poster and we had some great chats during the last series but now i can barely read anything you write. Its a shame and i do hope you get back to your old unbiased and knowledgable posting style again soon.

eirebilly wrote:

msp83 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:http://www.firstpost.com/sports/pietersen-asks-unmukt-to-pace-his-innings-better-495180.html

Pitersen gives advice to Unmukt chand...
OMG...will they drop him again for helping an opponent batsman just before the series with the same opponent

Good one KPF!. I won't be entirely surprised if the kids pick up a silly little fight on this!.

KP_fan.
Is Chand not currently a member of the same team as KP? Where is the issue with helping out a team mate? He is currently NOT the opposition and KP is a senior member of that team. It happens in all sports, if Chand was currently the opposition, ie. playing against a team with KP in it then it would be a different matter. You are just trying to generate issues out of nothing.

You are using logic and rationale.
If those criteria were applcable ECB would not have cut Their nose to spite the face

#herewegoagain

I hope they play Finn, Monty and Onions in the 11.
And after his innings inthe last test, no way can bairstow be left out, logically

onions wont play because then it means that Jimmy or Broad would have to be left out which wont happen.

As Bell is slated to miss one test, Bairstow should certainly get a game.
It would be dificult to leave Bairstow out after his last test performance, but then he did struggle against spin in T-20Is in recent times in the sub-continent and although counting that a lot against his test chances is unfair, if England will have to go for the security of an additional spin bowling cover without seriously affecting the 7-4 system, then Samit Patel will have to come into the mix.
One way to do that would be promoting either Bell when he is available, or Trott to open alongside Cook, bat Bairstow at 5 and Patel at 7.
I don't think that would be a great idea, at least to start with. Bell or Trott I don't think are going to be long term opening batsmen, and Root is a serious potential.
So then they have to think of the other option. Pietersen, Trott and Bell have to play, the only vulnerable starting position then becomes that of Bairstow. In case they opt for the 6 batsmen +Patel approach, then I would prefer Bairstow going out rather than any quick fix at the top.

eirebilly wrote:

msp83 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:http://www.firstpost.com/sports/pietersen-asks-unmukt-to-pace-his-innings-better-495180.html

Pitersen gives advice to Unmukt chand...
OMG...will they drop him again for helping an opponent batsman just before the series with the same opponent

Good one KPF!. I won't be entirely surprised if the kids pick up a silly little fight on this!.

KP_fan.
Is Chand not currently a member of the same team as KP? Where is the issue with helping out a team mate? He is currently NOT the opposition and KP is a senior member of that team. It happens in all sports, if Chand was currently the opposition, ie. playing against a team with KP in it then it would be a different matter. You are just trying to generate issues out of nothing again.

msp83.
I am really let down by you, you were once an excellent poster and we had some great chats during the last series but now i can barely read anything you write. Its a shame and i do hope you get back to your old unbiased and knowledgable posting style again soon.

Billy
I don't want to go back to the merits of the KP case in detail now, but what I can say is that I have been with the minority on this issue and I have expressed my passionate views on the matter as much as possible. I am not ashamed of that by any means, and I do hold on to my views on the matter!.

CF wrote:onions wont play because then it means that Jimmy or Broad would have to be left out which wont happen.

Broad should make way for Onions

which wont happen as he is being made vice captain for the tour.

CF wrote:which wont happen as he is being made vice captain for the tour.

England are going in India's track...carrying dead load of favorites ......on past peformance.
Broad may be England's Bhajji .......who wil be carried for 3 to 5 years of non performance

broad is quality.. not carried at all, just look at the figures

I see Msp is back to wumming about the KP thing. Shame.

I guess it would be too much to ask for that whatever KP does in India doesn't lead to either "see, this is what England have been missing" or "wooo KP making ALL the difference with that brilliant duck there" depending on how he goes...

Whatever. I shall start commenting on the England series but if it descends into a slanging match I'll stop bothering and stick to more knowledgeable threads and posters.

I suspect that England will now be looking to line-up Cook, Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Morgan, Prior, Patel, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Finn with Morgan v Bairstow perhaps dependant on the warm-up games.

I'm still not at all a fan of Patel the Test bowler, nor do I think that he offers much with the bat or that we even really need the extra spinner in India. So with the plethora of batting options now available I'd stick to having Compton (or Root if he stars in the warm-ups) up top with Cook, and then Trott, KP, Bell and Bairstow (or Morgan if he outshines him in the warm-ups). At least we now shouldn't ever have to have both Compton and Root or both Morgan and Bairstow in the same team.

Mike Selig wrote:

I guess it would be too much to ask for that whatever KP does in India doesn't lead to either "see, this is what England have been missing" or "wooo KP making ALL the difference with that brilliant duck there" depending on how he goes...

LOL..you are right ECB and Flower will be bashed with whatever is the outcome of KP's batting feats in India.
If he suceeds they would be mocked for leaving a champion out....for 3 months
If he flops...it's because of the traumas of targetting / harrasement of KP
ECB entirely are to blame for this lose-lose situation they have put themselves in.

I see Msp is back to wumming about the KP thing. Shame.

LOL again....thanks for informing us of fellow poster's behaviours...without your insightful analyis us ordinary mortals cannot judge which fellow poster is doing what

Shelsey93 wrote:I suspect that England will now be looking to line-up Cook, Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Morgan, Prior, Patel, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Finn with Morgan v Bairstow perhaps dependant on the warm-up games.

I'm still not at all a fan of Patel the Test bowler, nor do I think that he offers much with the bat or that we even really need the extra spinner in India. So with the plethora of batting options now available I'd stick to having Compton (or Root if he stars in the warm-ups) up top with Cook, and then Trott, KP, Bell and Bairstow (or Morgan if he outshines him in the warm-ups). At least we now shouldn't ever have to have both Compton and Root or both Morgan and Bairstow in the same team.

acouple of questions that you or any close follower of english cricket can help answer:

1)there is a a perception that Patel is a better player of spin than many otehr specialists...even if his spin bowling is discounted...what do you think?
2) Is eitehr of compton or Root better than Trott technically to face the new ball. Trott more than half the times is anyway facing the new ball?

1) pick the best batsman and they can should be able to play any bowling- patel isnt a batsmen full stop

2 - no they are not. All the same kp should open

^I agree...to me Patel has alwys been bits n pieces even for ODIs as I have written here....
however lately I have been reading a number of writers pointing to Patel's few scores last winter in India in ODis....and making his case as a batsman good in handling spin.

I thouhg many of those scores were made by him in a lost cause...not in tight competitive conditions

I have faith in this england team with cook and KP. i think they will be trying to out score each other and will not give there wickets away. Both batsmen are up there as two of the best in test cricket.

Patel should be in the side as a bowler granted but i have no faith that he is gonna contribute with the bat

Btw i dont know enough about root or compton- just dont watch enough county stuff.

trott worries me in match deciding positions. he can help with a base- but i never believe he can produce match winning performaces or turn the 50/50 game.

however he is a proven scorer

1. There is a perception that Patel is a good player of spin, and probably a correct one. But his form in Championship cricket was dire this season, and so he has a very thin case on which to consider his batting, particularly in the longer form of the game.

2. I'd say Compton and Trott are similar players - they rely on concentration and method rather than natural technique. I haven't seen enough of Root yet to say, and none of him in FC cricket. The issue isn't really whether Trott cam open - of course he can - but more where is he best utilised and are we better off with a different opener or a different player down the order? I'd say we need the other opener because we start to look quite top heavy if you shuffle Bell to 3.

Hmm..so Eng will get to play India-A as their first opponent in a 3 day game......a strong opponent.
These days Ind-A can be as strong as main Indian team.

and Mumbai-A is their second opponent...

Mumbai: The touring England cricketers will take on India A in their opening warm-up game ahead of the four-Test series against India starting November 15, the BCCI announced on Saturday.

The England cricket team will be playing three warm-up matches prior to the start of the Test series.

"The visitors will play India `A` at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai from 30 October 2012 to 1 November 2012. They will play Mumbai `A` at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai from 3 November 2012 to 5 November 2012," BCCI Secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement.

England`s opponents in the four-day game to be played at at Ahmedabad from November 8 will be announced shortly.

"The India `A` team for the game at the Brabourne Stadium will be picked on Wednesday, 24 October 2012, at Chennai," the Board statement read.

After the four-Test series, England will play a couple of Twenty20 games (on December 20 and 22) followed by a five-match ODI series starting January 11 next year.

PTI

Mumbai A playing against touring England is a pretty ridiculous idea, even below BCCI standards!.
I hope at least they select a decent outfit with the likes of Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Abhishek Nayar, Harmeet Singh getting a chance. By the look of things, this could be a 4 day farce of 12-13-14 a side nonsense.

Shelsey93 wrote:I suspect that England will now be looking to line-up Cook, Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Morgan, Prior, Patel, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Finn with Morgan v Bairstow perhaps dependant on the warm-up games.

I'm still not at all a fan of Patel the Test bowler, nor do I think that he offers much with the bat or that we even really need the extra spinner in India. So with the plethora of batting options now available I'd stick to having Compton (or Root if he stars in the warm-ups) up top with Cook, and then Trott, KP, Bell and Bairstow (or Morgan if he outshines him in the warm-ups). At least we now shouldn't ever have to have both Compton and Root or both Morgan and Bairstow in the same team.

I'd definitely pick Patel over Morgan as a batsman in Test cricket.

msp83 wrote:Mumbai A playing against touring England is a pretty ridiculous idea, even below BCCI standards!.
I hope at least they select a decent outfit with the likes of Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Abhishek Nayar, Harmeet Singh getting a chance. By the look of things, this could be a 4 day farce of 12-13-14 a side nonsense.

Mumbai A ain't gonna be that bad....they will have Suraj yadav, sandhu ( seamer) Harmeet, another 1 or 2 stars from u19 world cup.
An old Ranji pro like aggarkar or Powar might lead them.

Tendulkar might use it to practise as might zaheer

So, what are everyone's predictions?

Unless KP conjures up another miracle or two I'd favour India by 1 or 2 tests... 2-1 or 2-0.
Just feel they are gaining some confidence back and are on the rise again whereas England has had a hell of a time and even with KP back they will struggle a bit.

The best case for Eng will be pulling out a coupe of draws especially T1 in ahmedabad and T4 in nagpur can be slow pitches.

The worst is as bad as it can get.

KP will bridge the gap between the teams which was otherwise likely to be on spiNning tracks as much as in that world cup game.

The Ahmedabad pitch hasn't been very consistent over the last few years. Mostly it would be monster of a road but at times it could spark to some life. Still remember Javakal Srinath's test against South Africa way back in 1996 and the rather more recent 76 all out pitch against SA.
Pietersen and Cook are the mostly likely batsmen who could offer some major trouble for the Indians, and Jonathan Trott and Matt Prior won't surprise me if they do well.
Winning the mental batle against spin is going to be the key for England and I see advantage India, going into the series. A couple of draws are well within England's reach, but I think it will be dificult for them to win a test match and I don't honestly see them winning the series by any chance.

England are far more likely to win a Test than draw one. They have the bowlers to skittle a very average Indian batting line up out cheaply. I am not sure they have the batsmen to bat out draws though.

A draw will settle the nerves. Perhaps unlikely, but certainly far from impossible.

Among all the England bowlers, its Steve Finn and James Anderson who could play a major part. But Anderson will have to get his usual pace back. He proved he has developed into a good bowler across conditions, but this India trip is going to be yet another test of that.
I think Broad's role will be more of a workhorse. Swann's quality, but Indians haven't taken to quality spinners all that kindly. Going to be a big test for the man.
A draw could be possible if the pitches are pretty flat. I don't see England collapsing to spin on a flat road like New Zealand did.

if the pitch is the standard Nagpur pitch......draw will be the most likely option.
atually completing even 3 innings would be difficult.

Finn and Monty...England has only 2 wicket taking bowlers in their squad...for these conditions.
Anderson will be a threat for 15 overs with the new ball

Monty better than Jimmy?

He averages 56 in India. Very suited to the conditions.

Anderson did well with the old ball in UAE and SL. No reason why he can't do it against us. I'd pick Onions over Broad personally.

Onions is really unfortunate not to get more chances than what he has managed. His mode of attacking the stumps could be effective in India, and of late he has been bowling quicker than Broad's been managing and good Pace has been effective against the Indian batsmen even on home tracks.