England's Indian Summer - T20s, ODIs & Tests

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Off goes Rahul...at least he doesn't waste a review ! That was stone dead.
Jimmy on course for ten ?

Rahane in next as Kohli was off the field too long...

Finally, out. 27 is the lead.

England need to get north of 200 ahead, but first there'll be 2-3 overs tonight.

So Broad does get the wicket at last. A fine effort from Jasprit Bumrah ends as he edges behind for a test top score of 6. But those 6 runs could be very, very valuable if he and his fellow bowlers can retain their intensity....

Broad gets his man at last...

Pujara unconquered 132 and India lead by 27.

Good Test Match ; as I did suggest it might be yesterday...

Ten minutes for England to bat tonight. Ample time for Jennings to get out then!

Mighty fine effort from Cheteshwar Pujara, now over to you sir, Ravichandran Ashwin!!
Think they should open the bowling with him. Yes, Ishant has been bowling well and seems to have Cook's number, Bumrah has been sensational, but an over from Ashwin will be an option worth exploring tonight.

India haven't got enough in terms of the first innings. Short by at least 60. Can the bowlers compensate?

A bit messy at the end but overall England worked their way back from 142-2. It's another chance for the batsmen to prove they aren't total rubbish. If they are again then india will win easily

msp83 wrote:Mighty fine effort from Cheteshwar Pujara, now over to you sir, Ravichandran Ashwin!!
Think they should open the bowling with him. Yes, Ishant  has been bowling well and seems to have Cook's number, Bumrah has been sensational, but an over from Ashwin will be an option worth exploring tonight.

A question over Bumrah...he was struck on the hand when batting . Might be Ashwin and Ishant ?

Ashwin with the first over, no dramas, but I really like that from Kohli...

Bumrah missed the start of the test series due to a finger injury. Just hope he's fine.

msp83 wrote:Ashwin with the first over, no dramas, but I really like that from Kohli...

Think we'd all have opened with Ashwin. Well worth a try. Gets them an extra over in too...

But Jennings is off his pair at least

An excellent day of Test Cricket

So after two days England trail by 21 runs with all ten in hand : if they can bat all Saturday I think they'll win...but I'm not that confident they can do so !

Goodnight all ...

Probably a 50-50 game as we head into Saturday. Great series this, even if the quality is a little lopsided.

The key to getting a good score is about crease occupation. The longer you can stay at the crease the easier it gets to stick around and score. Somehow Cook, Jennings or Root have to do that tomorrow.

Duty281 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Eng has put on a fighting total and It won't be easy for India...although i would put India a little ahead...only a little because they bat 4th

Bit harsh on India. I think India could rightfully consider themselves strong favourites from this position, and if the ball doesn't swing as much tomorrow then England are in a whole world of darkness.

--Well now you see why I put India just a "bit ahead"
& Moeen's unexpected 5-for eliminated that bit too......India's 27 lead is offset by having to bat 4th.....Eng are slightly ahead IMO

for me Nos. 6/7/8 of India were always unreliable esp Pant and Pandya...and they lived upto my worst fears
Especially ......Pant can't put bat to ball against seamers....and he is NOT a test match No.6 for India overseas...and if he fails in 2nd inning...it's career over for him as a test match player....he's not playing T5 also

And Pant, Pandya & Ashwin had prepared intensely to leave outside off to seamers with intense focus were confused by Moeen lobbing his spinners into the rough
& they are not versatile to change their approach on their feet in the middle when script had changed suddenly at the stroke of tea...and all fell tamely

--Now its single inning shootout...with 3 scenarios
(I)anything between 150-200 is a lottery and the most likely scenario that will unfold in 4th inning...80% probability
(II) 250+ is game over for India...5% probability
(III)and 120-140.....India are favorites...15% probability

for scenarios (i) and (II) India should look at promoting Pandya and Pant to 3 and 4....."go play your strokes"...slash over point and slips....ramp shot...pull......
and a run a ball 40 odd from either....will make it easier for India
and should they fail...Pujara/Kohli/Rahane/ ashwin play conventional cricket at No.s 5 thru 8

Nos 6/7/8 are eng's strongest links with the bat and India's weakest

KPF, think its too early to judge Pant. He seemed good in his first test innings, probably a position too high at 6 I agree, and the lad seemed a bit confused as to how about his innings. It is important to play the situation, but that does not mean all that you can do in England is to leave. Pant left quite a bit in his 29 ball duck, and he seemed alright doing that. Think it was a number 7 batsmen trying to play like a number 6 and ending up confusing himself. Among the 3 of them, Pant, Pandya and Ashwin, it is Ashwin who is most suited to bat 6. Ashwin 6, Pant 7 and Pandya 8 should be the way they should go.

Pujara's brilliance and Ishant's and Bumrah's determination gave India a bit of a lead in the first innings but it is not enough own its on. For India to win from now, the bowlers need to produce some real magic.
My concern is that both Cook and Root haven't made any significant contribution so far in the series, and the kind of players they are, they should have a performance or 2 for the series. If it comes out tomorrow, that will be most inopportune for India. It would be like Rahane for India at TB. He's been struggling, but the good player that he is, produced an innings of substance just when it mattered. Either of Cook or Root play a good hand, India would be in deep trouble.

Test crickets not dead is it?

Compare this to the shambles that came over last time India were number one. One good test.

England have for the most part been poor, and Indias batsmen struggled to adapt (and cope with englands seam unit) but their own seam have really stepped up.

Moeens redeemed himself after an appalling winter (again) with an incredible comeback.

Just when it looked like England were going to walk the series they made a poor decision to try and crush India on day one, they loose a test and get off to a woeful start on this one. ...only for some lower order heroics to salvage hope. India seem to have the better of them only for another recalled bits a pieces player to rip them apart...then have their own late order stand.

Theres no point in trying to second guess how this will go (aside from Jennings failing). And the fifth test still to come, part of me is hoping India to win this to add to the drama for that one.

What a series...even the game that should've been a draw had a result. I said at the start of this tour that the ODIs were the real showpiece, but its the tests that are providing the real drama. Hats off to India for not folding after the third test...maybe they were gifted the opportunity but they haven't gone the way of many teams on excessively long tours in unhelpful conditions.
Its just a shame its taken England batsmen to be truly awful to make it that way.

I, too, expect England to finish setting India something in the 150-200 region, which will set up an intriguing finish. The English top order have to stand up; they can't keep expecting the lower order to bail them out - of the 6 English innings completed in this series so far, 5 of them had a lower order player top scoring (Buttler x2, Curran x2 and Woakes).

Not sure why, but I have a feeling in 24 hours time we’ll be talking about when England should declare on day four, not how many India have left to get...

Maybe blind optimism...but just a gut feeling. Surely Cook or Root will get a big score at some point this series?

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Not sure why, but I have a feeling in 24 hours time we’ll be talking about when England should declare on day four, not how many India have left to get...

Maybe blind optimism...but just a gut feeling. Surely Cook or Root will get a big score at some point this series?

Suppose that is about "due" to happen...as not much has been predictable , day to day , in this series. It could well be that batting conditions will be at their best tomorrow - main problem being some rough for the spinner - and England must certainly be setting out to bat all day.
But feelings aside you'd be mad to put money on it...they could as easily be skittled before tea.

India's pace bowlers (maybe not so much Pandya) really excelled in the first innings. Can they back that up ? You'd think Ashwin will be more dangerous this time around ; but India might be wishing they had Jadeja in the side...

Once again looks likely to be a fascinating day...this continues to be a very interesting series .

There has been a pattern in England's batting for some time now and I see it continuing today. Top order crumbling for about 50 runs and the all-rounders restoring some order with a decent knock or two before the innings closes with around 200 on the board.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Not sure why, but I have a feeling in 24 hours time we’ll be talking about when England should declare on day four, not how many India have left to get...

Maybe blind optimism...but just a gut feeling. Surely Cook or Root will get a big score at some point this series?

Cooks only too genuinely big scores in the last couple of years came in relatively easy batting conditions. He hasnt passed 50 in a second innings in well over a year.

You might call it "due", Id call it "unlikely"

msp83 wrote:KPF, think its too early to judge Pant. He seemed good in his first test innings, probably a position too high at 6 I agree, and the lad seemed a bit confused as to how about his innings. It is important to play the situation, but that does not mean all that you can do in England is to leave. Pant left quite a bit in his 29 ball duck, and he seemed alright doing that. Think it was a number 7 batsmen trying to play like a number 6 and ending up confusing himself. Among the 3 of them, Pant, Pandya and Ashwin, it is Ashwin who is most suited to bat 6. Ashwin 6, Pant 7 and Pandya 8 should be the way they should go.

judgement call is with limited data...when he has flopped in 5 more innings......it would become an undisputed fact

I sensed in his first inning seeing how he got out......that he will struggle...and he did in his 2nd inning...gone for a naught.... and has gone from bad to worse in the 3rd inning.....He can't put bat to ball to seamers

You right Pant ain't a No. 6 in these conditions & all of Pant, Pandya and Ashwin are apt only at No. 8
So India is missing a no. 6 and a No. 7
Promoting Ishant to No.6 would solve some problem

On a serious note....India should promote Pandya and Pant to Nos 3 and 4 in the chase with license to bat "freely".....if either of them gets a run a ball 40 or 50....will seriously dent Eng and make the chase a cake walk...if they fail.....well then we are not expecting much from them lower down anyway

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Not sure why, but I have a feeling in 24 hours time we’ll be talking about when England should declare on day four, not how many India have left to get...

Maybe blind optimism...but just a gut feeling. Surely Cook or Root will get a big score at some point this series?

Well England haven't lost back-to-back tests at home since 2008, when Michael Vaughan was captain (and not just being a terrible pundit), so perhaps they will get out of this.

Far more likely, though, that they end up four or five down at lunch, and India are batting by the evening.

This has been a compelling series. I, too, put England slightly ahead simply due to the fact that India have to bat last. But like others I have very little faith in England's batting and somebody will have to step up today.
The good thing is that England bat deep. On Thursday I kept thinking that someone would succeed, even when Eng has slipped to 80-odd for six. Twould be nice if the top order made the runs rather than having to rely on the middle/lower to dig Eng out of a hole.
I wouldn't like to put money on this, but am taking England to win, albeit with not much conviction.

India have to bat last but likely on a day 3/4 pitch rather than a day 5 one, so maybe not a big an advantage as it might be.

Either way one big innings could really throw the momentum one way or the other.

there is no seam or swing visible so far this morning

England edging closer to parity this morning as England move onto 21 for 0. Bumrah into the attack but Jennings survives. Cook 9 Jennings 12

Cook is caught at second slip at the third attempt off Bumrah. He exits for 12. England 24 for 1. Effectively - 3 for 1.

Surprisingly, Moeen is in at No 3 and receives a jaffa that he is lucky to survive.

Moeen edges through the slips next ball for 4. England lead by 1.

given the lack of seam & swing 250 could be chasable
Moeen living a charmed and chancy life

KP_fan wrote:given the lack of seam & swing 250 could be chasable
Moeen living a charmed and chancy life

The thing is chasing down 250 in the fourth innings in England is very rare.

ishant should come over the wicket too

England 33 for 1 and lead by 6. Bumrah and Ashwin hold the key you would think.

Superb catch in the slips does for Moeen 33 for 2 and Sharma strikes. Checking to see if it carried and it has and Moeen must go.

England two down and in difficulty. Not exactly been tough batting conditions, either.

England effectively 9 for 2. Jennings playing for his test career is 14 and Root 1.

Sharma given a second and final warning for running on the pitch. At drinks England are 36 for 2.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Sharma given a second and final warning for running on the pitch. At drinks England are 36 for 2.

he can still bowl from the other end even when he has 3rd warning and removed from attack from one end
But i see he has switched to over the wicket

No I thought if he gets third warning he cannot bowl for the rest of the innings. Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

India striving for Root call for a review but wasted. England effectively 20 for 2.

Jennings goes on the attack and with sweeps scores fours. He moves onto 28. England effectively 34 for 2.

CaledonianCraig wrote:No I thought if he gets third warning he cannot bowl for the rest of the innings. Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Craig - my understanding is the same as your's. My only doubt now is that KP_f normally knows his beans with this sort of thing.

Meanwhile, Jennings doing a useful job for England, his own Test future and, more importantly, Surrey. [Some will understand.]

guildfordbat wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:No I thought if he gets third warning he cannot bowl for the rest of the innings. Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Craig - my understanding is the same as your's. My only doubt now is that KP_f normally knows his beans with this sort of thing.

Meanwhile, Jennings doing a useful job for England, his own Test future and, more importantly, Surrey. [Some will understand.]

Did it not happen to Jimmy Anderson V West Indies last summer and could not bowl for rest of the innings - no matter what end he bowled.

Key last 20 minutes before lunch. If this pair see it through unscathed England will be happy. However, a wicket for India and they will feel they have had a good morning.

Valuable 50 partnership up between Root and Jennings. England 83 for 2 and lead is 56.

Two balls before lunch and Jennings is out lbw on 36. India will feel much better now. England 92 for 3 at lunch with the lead on 65. A big blow struck by Shammi.

if he knew there was no bat...that was a terrible review....and India wins the session I think narrow coz of that jennings wicket

That makes 12 reviews by England's batsmen this series...and zero overturned.

England narrowly ahead. So much depends on whether Root replicates Pujara's effort yesterday, or if India snaffle him early.