India v England 4th Test, Nagpur

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So we are reaching the last lap of the series with lots of things at stake.
England are 2-1 up, and this is a historic chance for Alastair Cook's side to make history by winning a series in India after 28 years. After a dreadful year where they lost 7 test matches and the well earned number one ranking, England seem to be getting firmly back on track.
Captain Cook is leading from the front, Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior are backing him well with the bat and Nick Compton has been solid if not spectacular. Of late Jonathan Trott also found some form. James Anderson has been good, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann comfortably outbowled their Indian spin counterparts.
There are injury concerns though Steven Finn, who bowled very well in the last match is almost ruled out. Stuart Broad won't be able to step in for him, as he's already ruled out. That leaves a straight choice between Tim Bresnan and Graeme Onions. Bresnan has struggled to match his ashes form since his elbow troubles, and was pretty poor at Ahmedabad in the first test. Onions didn't have a great time in the tour matches. I would personally go for Onions, who has more pace than Bresnan has and bowls a wicket to wicket line. But England might prefer Bresnan's experience and his previous record in the sub-continent. There are questions over Samit Patel's place as well. Patel hasn't really gone on to play a big innings so far, but he has got a few important starts. If Finn's ruled out, his 5th bowling option would be more handy for England.
As far as India go, its a test match at the crossroads for them. The team has lost 2 back to back home tests after 12 years. They are facing the prospect of a home series loss after 8 years. All these come on top of the disasters in England and Australia. The batting isn't firing, the spinners are being outbowled. The leader of the pace pack is send packing by the selectors. There are shrill calls for the captain's head.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni expects his side to show some character in these circumstances. He expects Gautam Gambhir to convert one of those starts into a big one and he believes Sachin Tendulkar, as he has often done will deliver for his team and prove the speculators wrong. He things he can handle the criticism coming his way.
They are sure to go in with 2 changes as Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh who played the previous matches are dropped. It could be Ajinkya Rahane's much anticipated test debut. He might bat 6 in place or else they can bat him at 5 and push Virat Kohli to 6. The other option is to pick Ravindra Jadeja who has been in the form of his life in the Ranji Trophy this season. Jadeja has already scored over 800 runs with 2 triple hundreds for Saurashtra and has picked 26 wickets with his left-arm spin. Playing Jadeja would mean they can play 3 spinners without losing the balance of the attack. The absence of Zaheer and the unavailability of the injured Umesh Yadav might mean that Ishant Sharma's experience might see him playing. Remains to bee seen as to who would partner him in the seam bowling department. Ashok Dinda has been in the squad for some time, Parvinder Awana has good pace and recent good form.
As far as the pitch goes, cricinfo reports that it hasn't been watered for the last couple of days. So the dry pitch should turn. From when onwards and how much remains to bee seen.
Weather is expected to stay good.

I think the KP of old would try to hit out here but the KP of now seems more patient.

skyeman wrote:

I still think it should be the home sides who decide if they uses it, and then just don't tour India until they do comply with everyone else.

Yep tbh i think the umpires prefer DRS anyway- at the end of the day it really does help them!!

The fact that it is taken away when teams tour india probally puts more pressure on the umpires anyway- it just breeds mistakes.


That or as we noticed the other day... The TV umpire could get more invloved!

So going in with 4 spinners. 2 wickets have fallen, and who has taken those? The 'Unlucky Potential'!!. Good to see Jadeja playing. Perhaps he could have come in Zaheer's place and they could have played Rahane as well. Chawla? England will be showing high points of ineptitude to gift him any wickets. The domestic batsmen thrash him around like anything. What a ridiculous call from the selectors, and what a ridiculous follo-up from the team management!.

I must admit that i was very shocked by the kneejerk reaction from the Indian selectors in going in with 4 spinners msp but it may also pay off.

Well looking at this pitch so far i think bresnan could be very handy.. alot of drift here!

Morning KP

mystiroakey wrote:Well looking at this pitch so far i think bresnan could be very handy.. alot of drift here!

Agree, providing he bowls wicket to wicket he could be useful, I would use him to hold an end down, and rotate Swann & Panesar with Jimmy bowling short hard spells.

Judging by things so far, i think that Prior will have a good innings when he gets in...

Well, looks like KP has decided his 4th special of the year!. That has to be it for India. A low scoring pitch, Pietersen with a match turning knock. This time he has to do it with Trott's support it seems, as umpire Dharmasena had more than enough of watching Cook.

England selection of Root is an interesting one. Like Patel, he can be counted on to bowl a few overs. But then he's a natural opener and it is interesting to see England using him in the middle order. Is this the beginning of him getting a run in the side or is this a one match experiment? I hope he gets a run in the side, even if it as a middle order bat.

msp83 wrote:Well, looks like KP has decided his 4th special of the year!. That has to be it for India. A low scoring pitch, Pietersen with a match turning knock. This time he has to do it with Trott's support it seems, as umpire Dharmasena had more than enough of watching Cook.

msp

You have turned into the Indian trebbs

Nice to see new players being put in the side periodically.. But i do feel abit sorry for Bairstow tbh. I think he did enough to warrant more game time

The only benefit of playing 4 spinners is that the overrate will be good. They have already managed to bowl 31 overs and there is another 5 minutes to go for lunch.
If KP and Trott bat out the session, I'd say England's morning, its not the easiest of pitches and they both look set. But by getting Cook, India can make a case that this has been their day already!.

India look alot more urgent in the field... Looks like they have been repremanded!!

gonna very marginally give that session to India.

Trott apart from that Lbw shout, looking very comfortable could be difficult to get out. Pietersen looking abit frustrated, but is still in. Sharma's bowling very well, India's morning two wickets and more than containing England's scoring rate. Next session should be fascinating, if the run rate continues will England get frustrated and try and hit big, and give away wickets.

mystiroakey wrote:India look alot more urgent in the field... Looks like they have been repremanded!!

Mysti, an hour more of KP and Trott, things will be back to normal!.

Those shoulders will start to slump, balls will be waved away to the boundary and singles will be in free supply!.

msp83 wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:India look alot more urgent in the field... Looks like they have been repremanded!!

Mysti, an hour more of KP and Trott, things will be back to normal!.

did someone call you the indian Trebbs!!!

I think they might be right

Is everyone afraid of jinxing England here.. Trott and KP look in!!

Trebs is a genius, no way I'd even atempt something like that!. This is just frustration, and some plain honest talk!. Already Pietersen and Trott are taking the attack to the Indians after lunch and I can see another long and hard day shaping up.
There will be more calls for MS Dhoni's head after the first day's play, this has been a frankly ridiculous selection.

Ooh was that a catch dropped? Certainly a half chance, Trott a bit lucky there. Hope it doesn't turn like the Cook situation in the last match.

With this ridiculous combination, I really don't see a chance for India in this match. Incredible nonsense. And of all the bowlers it has been the Mr. Potential who looked the better. The only benefit is that they bat long.

Oh my god!. R Ashwin getting a direct hit from the boundary!!. Trott's safe, nevertheless a pleasant surprise that!.

Where is that next wicket going to come from? Dhoni should bowl Chawla, after facing so much garbage, KP may hit out!. 50 for Pietersen.

KP has started to go at his usual rate...

When KP and Cook are in this form.. jeas!!

Am I being overly biased to suggest they are the best two batters in the world!?

They certainly are England's best by a long way.

Jadeja!!!!!. First test wicket!. Jonathan Trott gone!.

time for Bell to prove me wrong about him!

Ian Bell scored a confident 28 in the chase last week, will he take that confidence over to this innings?

It was a terrible error of judgement from Trott there, leaving alone a straight ball on to his stumps!.

Kevin Pietersen is really playing a genius innings here, there is not a lot of help for bowlers, but run scoring is dificult with the low bounce and slow outfield. But Pietersen, when he hits the ball, is doing it with great efficiency, terrific timing and placement. And now he's taking on the fielders, no need to risk a runout here though.

Dhoni should attack Bell with a few more close in fielders. The ball's not carrying much, so perhaps there should be more of them in front of the wicket.

We are into the 54th over of the day already and there is a good 45 minutes to tea.

Now KP goes over the top against Ojha. He's taking this game away from India.

I'd really hate KP to equal Cook's centuries record, as good as he is he keeps taking the limelight off of his teammates...

Come on England!

I dont care if KP equals Cooks century record at all. At the end of the day its all about England and how we all (except msp ) want them to do well

Azzy, that's a ridiculous comment...top players generally do get limelight...because they're top players.

That's like saying Dale Steyn is brilliant but I wish he would stop stealing all of those wickets from Imran Tahir.

England really digging in here!! Proper cricket!

Bell continuing to impress in Asia then...dear me.

Admirable obdurate batting today from England on a tough pitch to score freely on, but we are in a bit of soap and bubble here...not much batting to come.

Azzy Mahmood wrote:I'd really hate KP to equal Cook's centuries record, as good as he is he keeps taking the limelight off of his teammates...

Come on England!

oh come on!!!

dont be silly..

Cook is starting to get the prase he deserves anyway!

Bell- can someone explain why he is here?

Based on the fact that he is one of our best batsmen...what they didn't take in to account however is that he is very ineffective when there is no pace and bounce. I think England really do need to look at a horses for courses selection policy in the batting department, just as they do with the bowling.

In Asia we pick 2 spinners (after losing the 1st Test and realising we should have done so all along...), I think the time has come to start off without Bell in Asia, too. He has simply failed too many times there now, and this is coming from a Bears fan.

England {apart from Cook} have put themselves in this pickle, Compton poking at a wide nothing ball, Trott leaving a straight one and now Bell. I just hope the lower order can help KP out.

As long as we can hit or pass 250 i will be happyish..

I would back our bowlers on this wicket

As well as they are doing Indias decision to play 4 spinners does look odd still.

As does Englands to play Root, but lets see how he goes (rooting for him etc)

Fists of Fury wrote:Based on the fact that he is one of at best our 5th best batsmen...what they didn't take in to account however is that he is very ineffective when there is no pace and bounce. I think England really do need to look at a horses for courses selection policy in the batting department, just as they do with the bowling.

In Asia we pick 2 spinners (after losing the 1st Test and realising we should have done so all along...), I think the time has come to start off without Bell in Asia, too. He has simply failed too many times there now, and this is coming from a Bears fan.

fixed it ....

Terrible decision to give Cook out, not what we need with almost everyone but KP out of nick, but yes a number of England's wounds have been self inflicted.

What an awful pitch though, a disgrace really. No way is this up to Test standards...balls dying and keeping low on the first morning of a Test? Pathetic for the viewer. There's more life in my suicidal stuffed hamster than this pitch.

mystiroakey wrote:

Fists of Fury wrote:Based on the fact that he is one of at best our 5th best batsmen...what they didn't take in to account however is that he is very ineffective when there is no pace and bounce. I think England really do need to look at a horses for courses selection policy in the batting department, just as they do with the bowling.

In Asia we pick 2 spinners (after losing the 1st Test and realising we should have done so all along...), I think the time has come to start off without Bell in Asia, too. He has simply failed too many times there now, and this is coming from a Bears fan.

fixed it ....

Wholly incorrect. You forgetting he averaged 110 last year?

And that highlights my point...110 in a year played mostly in his favoured conditions, and he averages about 20 this year played in mostly Asian conditions. He is indeed a horse for a course.

Fists of Fury wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

Fists of Fury wrote:Based on the fact that he is one of at best our 5th best batsmen...what they didn't take in to account however is that he is very ineffective when there is no pace and bounce. I think England really do need to look at a horses for courses selection policy in the batting department, just as they do with the bowling.

In Asia we pick 2 spinners (after losing the 1st Test and realising we should have done so all along...), I think the time has come to start off without Bell in Asia, too. He has simply failed too many times there now, and this is coming from a Bears fan.

fixed it ....

Wholly incorrect. You forgetting he averaged 110 last year?

ermm yeah any dog can have hnis day and all that