India v England, 3rd Test, Eden Gardens Kolkata

The third test of the series is getting underway at the historic Eden Gardens tomorrow. The series is at one all after 2 tests.
Eden usually is an intimidating place for touring teams. The crowd turns up large, although not on the scales of earlier times and it usually has the effect of India playing with 12. Could be an experience in itself for all players involved.
In the runup to the test, the pitch has been quite a talking point with the CAB curator engaging with a public spat with the Indian captain. Although the Eden wicket has lost some of its old spark, it has been producing results, often in the last session of the match. A used pitch will be used for the match and spinners might find some turn. How much of bounce will be available, has to be seen though.
The other factor could be the timing. In the eastern parts of the country, light fades early in winter and so the match will have a half an hour early start. Might just be of a bit of interest to the seam bowlers. Artificial lighting will be used if required.
On the team front both teams have things to think about. Harbhajan Singh got a national recall without doing much to deserve it, and his bowling in the Mumbai test was nothing spectacular. Seemingly he has some health concern and didn't train today. Anyways it is unlikely India would go in with 3 spinners on this track. Umesh Yadav is not fully recovered as yet, so Ishant Sharma should get his chance here. Yuvraj Singh too had some injury concerns following getting hit on the arm during training, but he seems to be OK.
For England, Ian bell is back from leave. Jonny Bairstow didn't make compelling case to take over from Bell, so the senior man should be back. Remains to be seen whether that would be at the expense of Bairstow or Samit Patel. There have been indications that Stuart Broad who has had an inneffective series so far is in line to be replaced by a fit again Steven Finn.
No major worries with the weather at this stage.

Just one point, i know there will undoubtedly be more Indian fans at Eden Gardens than the previous matches, but with a 1 billion cricket loving population does that say something about this very, very poor Indian team that even with the cheap seats the fans have not turned out. VERY SAD.

England's series to take now. Up and at them lads! Alarm set for 3 in the morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKaJ4b0XYmI

I was interested but not excited about this series before it started but given the intrigue of the first two tests, the wonderful form of Captain Cook and of course the efforts of King Kev I'm really looking forward to snapping on the radio first thing tomorrow. Makes me almost glad of my early starts as a Postie!

I'll make no predictions but just checked the odds and India are quite strong favourites which I was surprised about.

India 6/5 Draw 13/8 England 3/1

3/1 on a used pitch, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Quids in everyone.

Frig me, i have still got to stay awake for six and a half hours, i at least hope the chef wins a toss for a change.

skyeman wrote:Just one point, i know there will undoubtedly be more Indian fans at Eden Gardens than the previous matches, but with a 1 billion cricket loving population does that say something about this very, very poor Indian team that even with the cheap seats the fans have not turned out. VERY SAD.

Looking at empty seats is never good BUT:

- My impression is that the crowds this series have been better than a few recent Indian series
- The stadiums are much bigger than in England: the Mumbai crowd may have been 1/2 full but it would still have filled most English grounds
- A lot of Indian fans are relatively poor, and don't have the same flexibility to take time off work that their English counterparts do. Hence, the best crowds are on the weekend. Hence hence, starting a Test on a Wednesday is a stupid idea.

Changes for me:

Broad out, Finn in for extra pace and bounce
Patel out Bell in, Bell imo has more of a chance of scoring runs and we don't need the odd off spin from Patel as Swann and Panesar will bowl the majority anyway.

1. Cook 2. Compton 3. Trott 4. KP 5. Bell 6. Bairstow 7. Prior 8. Swann 9. Anderson 10. Finn 11. Panesar

skyeman wrote:Frig me, i have still got to stay awake for six and a half hours, i at least hope the chef wins a toss for a change.

Law of averages says England must win the toss tomorrow.

Shelsey93 wrote:

skyeman wrote:Just one point, i know there will undoubtedly be more Indian fans at Eden Gardens than the previous matches, but with a 1 billion cricket loving population does that say something about this very, very poor Indian team that even with the cheap seats the fans have not turned out. VERY SAD.

Looking at empty seats is never good BUT:

- My impression is that the crowds this series have been better than a few recent Indian series
- The stadiums are much bigger than in England: the Mumbai crowd may have been 1/2 full but it would still have filled most English grounds
- A lot of Indian fans are relatively poor, and don't have the same flexibility to take time off work that their English counterparts do. Hence, the best crowds are on the weekend. Hence hence, starting a Test on a Wednesday is a stupid idea.

Sorry Shelsey, that does not hold water. England population 50 million{cricket 3rd or 4th sport}, India population 1 Billion {cricket No1 sport} SAD INDEED.

skyeman wrote:

Shelsey93 wrote:

skyeman wrote:Just one point, i know there will undoubtedly be more Indian fans at Eden Gardens than the previous matches, but with a 1 billion cricket loving population does that say something about this very, very poor Indian team that even with the cheap seats the fans have not turned out. VERY SAD.

Looking at empty seats is never good BUT:

- My impression is that the crowds this series have been better than a few recent Indian series
- The stadiums are much bigger than in England: the Mumbai crowd may have been 1/2 full but it would still have filled most English grounds
- A lot of Indian fans are relatively poor, and don't have the same flexibility to take time off work that their English counterparts do. Hence, the best crowds are on the weekend. Hence hence, starting a Test on a Wednesday is a stupid idea.

Sorry Shelsey, that does not hold water. England population 50 million{cricket 3rd or 4th sport}, India population 1 Billion {cricket No1 sport} SAD INDEED.

I think the Indian public have been brain washed with the raz mataz of the IPL, ODI and T20 cricket that they can't be bothered to watch 'proper' cricket, where we see future stars of the game born, such as Pujara in the second test. Not many people remember ODI and T20 knocks really. I understand the difference in size of stadia but even still say in a 40,000 seater there seams to be around 8-10,000 in which is pretty poor if you ask me for a cricket mad nation.

Liam wrote:

skyeman wrote:

Shelsey93 wrote:

skyeman wrote:Just one point, i know there will undoubtedly be more Indian fans at Eden Gardens than the previous matches, but with a 1 billion cricket loving population does that say something about this very, very poor Indian team that even with the cheap seats the fans have not turned out. VERY SAD.

Looking at empty seats is never good BUT:

- My impression is that the crowds this series have been better than a few recent Indian series
- The stadiums are much bigger than in England: the Mumbai crowd may have been 1/2 full but it would still have filled most English grounds
- A lot of Indian fans are relatively poor, and don't have the same flexibility to take time off work that their English counterparts do. Hence, the best crowds are on the weekend. Hence hence, starting a Test on a Wednesday is a stupid idea.

Sorry Shelsey, that does not hold water. England population 50 million{cricket 3rd or 4th sport}, India population 1 Billion {cricket No1 sport} SAD INDEED.

I think the Indian public have been brain washed with the raz mataz of the IPL, ODI and T20 cricket that they can't be bothered to watch 'proper' cricket, where we see future stars of the game born, such as Pujara in the second test. Not many people remember ODI and T20 knocks really. I understand the difference in size of stadia but even still say in a 40,000 seater there seams to be around 8-10,000 in which is pretty poor if you ask me for a cricket mad nation.

MY point exactly, {a cricket mad nation}? they have a population 20 times the size of England and even though the last time i checked for Lords the average ticket would be nye on 100 pounds per day against the bigger teams but is always a sell out, in India it costs a few hundred rupees per day.

Who is the biggest cricket loving nation?

I'd say as a nation India love cricket far more than the English. They just prefer to play rather than spend £100 and be either comatose by lunch or surrounded by people or are more intent on letting you know they are there than actually being there.

I no longer attend International cricket because of those that do.

Hibbz wrote:I'd say as a nation India love cricket far more than the English. They just prefer to play rather than spend £100 and be either comatose by lunch or surrounded by people or are more intent on letting you know they are there than actually being there.

I no longer attend International cricket because of those that do.

Sorry Hibbz, but when would the average Indian cricket fan spend 100 pound on a day of Test cricket?

And before i married and moved to Skye, i regularly went to Lords and the Oval even though on a modest income and blended in with all sorts.

Even those with the champagne hampers

No need to apologise I'm pretty sure you get my gist, though I'm not quite sure what point you're trying to make with regards to the empty stadiums.

Do you seriously think the stadiums are empty because there aren't enough people interested who'd go if they could justify the time off work/cost?

India is a cricket mad country, the likes of you and I as cricket fans are in the minority in the UK.

Hibbz wrote:No need to apologise I'm pretty sure you get my gist, though I'm not quite sure what point you're trying to make with regards to the empty stadiums.

Do you seriously think the stadiums are empty because there aren't enough people interested who'd go if they could justify the time off work/cost?

India is a cricket mad country, the likes of you and I as cricket fans are in the minority in the UK.

Simply not the case, the morning/afternoon IPL games are sell outs in the big stadia????? Your answer now.

Well I don't know for definite but I'll guess that they can justify 3hrs off work in the morning maybe?

Mate, I'm not Indian I don't know why they don't sell out their cricket grounds like the English do, but honestly do you really think a higher percentage of the UK's population are interested in cricket than in India?

Hibbz wrote:Well I don't know for definite but I'll guess that they can justify 3hrs off work in the morning maybe?

Mate, I'm not Indian I don't know why they don't sell out their cricket grounds like the English do, but honestly do you really think a higher percentage of the UK's population are interested in cricket than in India?

I just think that even though they have recently had the No1 Test team they have gotten used to the junk cricket, just like the Americans have gotten used to junk food. LOL Glad there are no Americans here.

Duty281 wrote:England's series to take now. Up and at them lads! Alarm set for 3 in the morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKaJ4b0XYmI

Beautiful, next summer at Lords with a new No4.

Lets put it this way.

I'm far more worried about some of the virtual 0 attendances in the West Indies and New Zealand than half-full stadiums for Tests in India.

I'd also add that the schedulers haven't helped. Its no coincidence that in Australia and England where the same grounds have a Test most years at a similar time grounds sell out. People get into the habit of going to the Test. If they get out of it its hard to get back in.

In India, they don't sell tickets in advance (I don't think) and the same grounds rarely get a Test two years in a row - if they do, it could be any time from August to March. People thus get out of the habit of going to the Test.

Shelsey93 wrote:Lets put it this way.

I'm far more worried about some of the virtual 0 attendances in the West Indies and New Zealand than half-full stadiums for Tests in India.

I'd also add that the schedulers haven't helped. Its no coincidence that in Australia and England where the same grounds have a Test most years at a similar time grounds sell out. People get into the habit of going to the Test. If they get out of it its hard to get back in.

In India, they don't sell tickets in advance (I don't think) and the same grounds rarely get a Test two years in a row - if they do, it could be any time from August to March. People thus get out of the habit of going to the Test.

Again, why i would say England has the best Test following. Apart from Lords and the Oval, the other grounds all have to bid millions to the ECB to get a Test match against the bigger teams, NO other country on EARTH does this.

Just one and a half hours to go Gotta go with Bell in for Patel and Finn to replace Broad.

One quick fact. The last time England played at this venue, Graeme Hick was England's leading wicket taker.

Ravi Shastri calls it the "best surface of the series so far". It's flat, with not much tracks, it's hard, thousands of runs in it, and it will get only slower and lower.

The pancake as predicted, come on chef, win the toss.

Frig, Dhoni wins the toss and India will bat.

Well, we done it last time

But India's last 3 scores here have all been over 600

and... Cook loses the toss again, numpty

rumour is there may be a bit more in this one for the faster bowlers, given the earlier start. We'll see. Other than that, talk of a pretty flat pitch so crucial England make early inroads.

Finn and Bell in for Bairstow and Broad, as expected.

Ishant Sharma in for Harbhajan Singh and Patel gets another shot, Ian Bell and Steven Finn are back in the side, replacing Jonny Bairstow and Stuart Broad.

for India, Ishant Sharma comes in for Harbajan.

Athers reckons it's a great toss to win, as the pitch should turn less early on than the previous game.

definitely a touch of swing for Anderson first up, though nothing excessive. Early wickets crucial...

Anderson definitely with some swing, and goes past the edge a couple of times, but Gambhir responds well with a cover driven four.

cracking looking pitch. Good balls being put away not convincingly but the outfield is lightening. If England can restrict India to under 450 it will be a great effort.

crikey this outfield is absolute lightning. ball's stopped swinging, could be a very long day for England...

My feelings exactly MAD. Think we should attack more imo with fielding positions early on and that LBW shout was close for Anderson there.

ooo that looked very close to me. Beefy reckons too high but I doubt it on this pitch. Looked pretty straight too, though maybe enough doubt as to whether it was hitting leg stump or not...

1st viewin and reply for me looks like hitting middle and leg but moving on

YESS!! What a disaster for india and a great result for england

and it's a run out, as Sehwag and Gambhir just jog two, before Sehwag notices it should be a third, but Gambhir isn't even looking. Patel does well to stop the ball, and Finn's throw is pin-point, but that is dreadful running. Huge bonus for England!!!!

gotta love the totally neutral commentary from cricinfo BTW, as the LBW shout against Gambhir was apparently "clearly going down leg"

Decent fielding from Patel/Finn gains a wicket that the pretty average bowling thus far hasn't looked like getting.

England fast bowlers should just bowl middle and off and bowl the Indians out.

so many things wrong with the running there:

- they just amble the first two with no urgency
- Sehwag turns completely blind for the third
- no call, obviously
- Gambhir isn't even looking at his partner after the second.

comedy of errors, and a real bonus for England on this pitch...

so at drinks on day one, and the most important thing that has happened is Cook losing the toss, again. Apparently the 5th time out of 5 he's lost it as Test captain

England got the cheap wicket of Sehwag, which they'll be delighted with, but it looks like being a hard day's work on what looks a great pitch to bat on. Jimmy's toiled hard and has beaten the bat a few times with no reward.

Wish Finn would come around the wicket to left handers. He always [ushes it too wide from over, yet when he comes around he is able to tuck them up more successfully and make them play deliveries outside off they wouldn't normally play from over.

think Finn is bowling pretty well at the moment myself. ooo Monty past the edge too now, England bowling well...

ooo close again! nope sliding down this one, excellent decision by Dharmasena I think...

WOW! wicket from nowhere for England, but lovely stuff from Monty. Tosses one right up to Pujara, who smothers it, but the next is flatter, skids on and through the defences of Pujara who misses it completely and is clean bowled.

Great time to get a wicket, Tendulkar in just before lunch!

interesting move by Cook, Anderson brought back for a one over burst before lunch, hoping to have a go at Tendulkar...

wow. easy single for Gambhir there but Tendulkar turns it down, obviously not wanting to face Anderson just before lunch, and maybe the sign of a lack of confidence right there. Gambhir sees out the over with no alarms, and that's lunch.

England will feel they've done a pretty good job really, two wickets (the dangerous Sehwag and the obdurate Pujara) on this pitch is a decent effort. For India, the run out was a shambles, Gambhir has played pretty well to reach a half-century.

Even session I'd say. That Pujara wicket is a massive one for England though, he has been the in form batsman. Gambhir has got a start, but converting those into a big one has been the challenge for him over the last couple of years particularly. Tendulkar, well know all the debates around his form and retirement. Kohli hasn't found his touch as yet in the series, Yuvraj struggled big time in the last match despite his 50 on test comeback, and Dhoni is yet to make a significant contribution with the bat.

Pujara is a big wicket, the hes one of the few Indians whos seemed genuinely switched on for this series

Tendulkar already passed his match target on 2

What happened with the run out? seems criminal at this level on a flat deck early in a test

Looks like Finn isnt the god some had painted him to be after all :/

Finn has bowled a lot better than the man who he replaced in the side.