England's Summer of Cricket 2022 as Joe Root Steps Down

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Must be assuming Southee can't be as ineffective again.

Further , and looking forward : I see they've named 15 for Edgbaston , with Billings still there in case Foakes doesn't present fit. Just slightly surprised as I'd have thought this might have been a chance to give Harry Brook a game : but presumably they don't want to disturb Bairstow from his annus mirabilis by having him take the gloves for a whole match...and in any case even if Foakes misses here he is surely only missing one match. Harry B is still just there as reserve and to soak up the team atmosphere - though I am pretty sure he will get a shot at some point.

Crawley retained ; and with no spare opener in the squad he apparently has another chance to push his claims. Going to be hard for him : cannot but feel the pressure of multiple failures and the howls from the armchair experts of "out with him !" - and won't be easy facing Bumrah and his mates , especially if conditions early on give the bowlers a bit of help. I still think there might be a Test Batsman in there somewhere : but unless he learns to strike a much better balance between attack and defence in the early overs he may not survive long enough to bring it out.
Maybe a template for him ?  I do think back to Trescothick in his early years. Remember watching him playing a Test against SA at The Oval : England were replying to nearly 500 ; and Tres had been battling against Ntini earlier in the series . On this day , he just kept leaving ...and leaving...balls outside his off stump for what seemed ages. But eventually Ntini and his mates tired , Marcus got going - and went on to 200 odd : never looked back...

Bowling make up will be a bit of a tough choice. Presumably Jimmy comes back in ; but who goes out ? Overton was only marginal with the ball ; but terrific with the bat ; Potts continues to impress and is too young to be tired after just three games Can't rest Leach after a ten-fer - even if India might fancy taking him on a bit more than the Kiwis. Could it be Broad to miss out on the grounds of (not to be spoken aloud) "rotation" ? If they are consistent , we will know about Thursday...

alfie wrote:Some excellent posts above. Guess how you want to react to this series overall is going to depend on your own natural tendencies to optimism or the reverse... I am in the former camp generally but accept some caution is always reasonable. In fact one of the things I have always , when captaining teams , tried to instil in my players is to never get too up ; or too down over a short passage of play : the game can always change quickly - the old "add two wickets" thing... What matters over time is how you handle the big moments.

Winning 3-0 over a NZ team which is still pretty handy even if probably in decline - or at least in "reset" mode after some retirements , should be cause for joy. Doesn't in itself mean England's problems are all solved ; but I really think the change in attitude and resultant confidence among the playing group is not about to fizzle out in a hurry.

India - even if a little short of preparation - are likely to present a different , and probably tougher , challenge. They will have a more varied attack , with much better spin options ; and are unlikely to have many issues with bowler fatigue in this single match situation - so the England bats may need to dial back the aggression at times. Just how England manage the tricky balance between positivity and reckless over-aggression is something I am really keen to observe in this match. May be wrong ; but I can't help but think Stokes is talking up the "fix bayonets , charge !" narrative just a little for the press and the public interest ; and in reality England have an eye to playing the game with serious intent ; but not without attention to the situation on the day. We will see...but I'd imagine whatever happens it is likely to be fun to watch.

Based on the NZ series, Lees has looked better for having a somewhat more positive mindset, while that has never been an issue for Crawley (not edging to slip after a quick 20 or so being much more a thing...). Pope to some extent and Root almost always score at a good rate for Test cricket without having to play extravagantly, nd Stokes has actually had a pretty good history of playing the situation until the last couple of years. Sometimes the issue with Stokes is that he seemed to only have two gears, of block everything or look to launch everything into the next county, with no middle ground.
Bairstow of course has more success when he's aggressive, and especially in the form he's currently in, so there will be a spell of 'Are You Not Entertained?' cricket - just the question of how long these tend to be.

We also need to play to our strengths rather than hammering square pegs in to round holes.

We all realise that we have tried to find old school test style batsmen, but failed. They just don't appear out there.

What we do have is a handful of batsmen who are naturally a bit more aggressive. That is our strength.

So a strategy of trying to incorporate that into our style of test cricket makes sense. We have tried to take those same batsmen and get them playing traditional test style, and it has largely failed, so we have nothing to lose from trying something different.

But I also agree that we will face tougher tests, particularly when it comes to top class spinners, so it will be interesting to see how the strategy adapts for that.

Injury update:

Woakes has returned to second XI action for Warwickshire and may return for some of England's limited-overs games in July. Ollie Robinson's scan was 'inconclusive' - which doesn't sound great, not getting confirmation one way or t'other - and he'll attempt a comeback in the County Championship on July 19th, with a view to returning for the South Africa tests in August.

I see Morgan's retirement has been confirmed. His career didn't deserve to come to such a tame end in the Netherlands. Buttler expected to take the captaincy role.

Morgan's retirement official . Guess that is no surprise ; though it all came in rather a rush over the last couple of weeks.
His fitness concerns as much as his form made him realise his time was up , I think : and he is leaving , very classily , at a good time for his team. Bit of a pity he signed off with two ducks in an obscure set of fixtures in The Netherlands ; but his place in England's white ball history is assured.

Well done all round , Cap'n Morgan , and many thanks

alfie wrote:

Well done all round , Cap'n Morgan , and many thanks

Well said, alfie.

I've always found him to be a hugely impressive man. Strength of character, clarity of thought and enormous amounts of self belief. Clearly a great leader and probably not hyperbole to say he changed white ball cricket for ever. Certainly dragged all the other nations along and lead a team that set the standards and raised the bar consistently for limited overs cricket.

Completely transformed an utter embarrassment of an ODI side to (just about!) achieve the ultimate prize. Shows class again to retire when he knows he's actually taking up the place of someone more deserving to be in the team. A shame about the 2 ducks to finish but doesn't matter really

Great captain and a very good batsman in his own right, Rashid Khan won't be forgetting about him any time soon.

Soul Requiem wrote:Great captain and a very good batsman in his own right, Rashid Khan won't be forgetting about him any time soon.

Oft goes ignored in light of his captaincy, but just how good a batsman he was at his peak, and when he came into the side those first few years - could play some ludicrous shots, I am always reminded of this one in a t20 against South Africa off Steyn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1AA00viotY

Glad he got to bow out on his own terms, albeit in a slightly understated manner in those Dutch games. Quite some shoes to fill!

Morgan revolutionised England's white ball game with his captaincy and vision which fairly will be what many remember him for.

As a white ball batter he was an absolute gun at his best though. Able to hit pace and spin. A genuine 360 degree player against spin, whilst able to hit sixes from early in his innings against pace.

I don't think England had seen a white ball player hit spin 360 degrees like Morgan did when he switched to England. Pietersen could obliterate spin of course but that tended to be more hitting in front of square. Due to KPs big stride he was brilliant at getting down the pitch to hit over the top and had a brutal slog sweep. Morgan's array of sweeps were something completely different from an England fans perspective and I adored watching him play spin in those early days.

He didn't make it as a Test player but his partnership with Cook against India is a fond memory too. Whilst his other century against Asif and Amir in that sadly marred 2010 tour was a very good knock. Asif ruined his career and Amir never reached the heights he should but on that 2010 tour with both near their best they were a fantastic partnership until the spot fixing revelations. Backed well by Umar Gul and Kaneria (another sad story...) it was a good attack and a really good ton from Morgan.

king_carlos wrote:Morgan revolutionised England's white ball game with his captaincy and vision which fairly will be what many remember him for.

As a white ball batter he was an absolute gun at his best though. Able to hit pace and spin. A genuine 360 degree player against spin, whilst able to hit sixes from early in his innings against pace.

I don't think England had seen a white ball player hit spin 360 degrees like Morgan did when he switched to England. Pietersen could obliterate spin of course but that tended to be more hitting in front of square. Due to KPs big stride he was brilliant at getting down the pitch to hit over the top and had a brutal slog sweep. Morgan's array of sweeps were something completely different from an England fans perspective and I adored watching him play spin in those early days.

He didn't make it as a Test player but his partnership with Cook against India is a fond memory too. Whilst his other century against Asif and Amir in that sadly marred 2010 tour was a very good knock. Asif ruined his career and Amir never reached the heights he should but on that 2010 tour with both near their best they were a fantastic partnership until the spot fixing revelations. Backed well by Umar Gul and Kaneria (another sad story...) it was a good attack and a really good ton from Morgan.

I'd forgotten he'd played more than a couple of Tests - actually played 17 and averaged just over 30 with a couple of hundreds. Not world-beating by any means, and he had a vulnerability against short pitched bowling in the longer form of the game (in ODI's he'd hit it up and into the stand, in Tests he tried and failed to hit it down). Had his eak been a few years later, he might have got a more extended run in the Test side, and you could argue for him being a specialist pick for sub-continental tours, as he was certainly better at starting against spin than many of his contemporaries.

Still, his legacy in the white ball game is inarguable - a fine batsman and captain who led a revolution in how England played the game. Moved England from team that usually looked at 280-300 as a high score to one that is gunning for 500 and more than occasionally passes 400.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Soul Requiem wrote:Great captain and a very good batsman in his own right, Rashid Khan won't be forgetting about him any time soon.

Oft goes ignored in light of his captaincy, but just how good a batsman he was at his peak, and when he came into the side those first few years - could play some ludicrous shots, I am always reminded of this one in a t20 against South Africa off Steyn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1AA00viotY

Glad he got to bow out on his own terms, albeit in a slightly understated manner in those Dutch games. Quite some shoes to fill!

That’s my favourite six - absolutely huge. This one off Ravi Rampaul was another absolute gem.

https://youtu.be/J6OcvvyPNw0

Really impressed by Alice Davidson Richards today. Only caught the highlights, but she was hitting the ball really, really solid. Even the batters who have come in and had success a la Dunkley haven’t hit the ball with the power she did. I’d be shocked if we didn’t see more of her in all formats.

So despite Foakes's positive covid clearly being a fake thing for his back injury....he misses the India test match because he hasn't recovered from covid. Weird huh

Billings in for him as a straight swap. I understand that, whilst it would be good to get Brook a game, not fair to him for it be a one off and also don't really want to be messing around with Bairstow while he is in great form by either moving him in the order or giving him the gloves. Billings as a one game stop gap makes sense.

Also confirmed Anderson back in for Overton as expected

https://twitter.com/Cricket_Ali/status/1542459551383011330

Ben Stokes had given Zak Crawley his full backing, effectively saying he’ll keep his spot “regardless” of what happens this Test. Picked as the best player to do the job they want long term

Foakes obviously has to miss out due to 'Covid'. If he came back for this game then it would be apparent that his 'Covid' was just a ruse and, presumably, England would be in trouble for it.

Crawley will keep his place because 'new England' isn't about actual ability in the batting, it's just about trying to score quick. Compton is averaging 87 this season, has made four centuries and five fifties, and is by a colossal margin the best opening batsman in the country. But he only scores at a strike rate of 40 and that's the key. 'Bazball' would prefer to see an opening batsman score 25 off 30 than watch Compton score a ton in 240 balls.

Anderson being back is good. That may have been Overton's only test. Leaves a very long tail, but hopefully the top order will do its job.

Unsure as to how the test will go. In theory India are short of much needed preparation, but the duke's ball not producing much swing this year and their batsman may find it easier than they usually do on trips over here. England's batting v New Zealand ranged from the woeful to the brilliant, but it was only brilliant when NZ served up a buffet. When NZ put it in the right areas, England generally struggled, and I expect India's bowling to be more accurate than the Kiwis, so it should be a greater challenge for the English batting.

Edgbaston used to be an English fortress, but England have actually lost their last two tests at this ground, though India have not won in any of their seven tests played at this venue.

10:30 start, don't get caught out!

Duty281 wrote:

England's batting v New Zealand ranged from the woeful to the brilliant, but it was only brilliant when NZ served up a buffet. When NZ put it in the right areas, England generally struggled, and I expect India's bowling to be more accurate than the Kiwis, so it should be a greater challenge for the English batting.

This still isn't in any way true or reflective of the matches themselves. When a team is defending a total it is very difficult to stick when the opposition start attacking, what's a usual good length ball is then in the slot for someone like Bairstow to smash out the ground, that means altering your line and lengths accordingly. The scoring rate increases which brings the total into sight which further exasperates that issue, it's a completely different ball game bowling on the fifth day to the first in that regard, in the first innings you can stick rather than twist. I'd much rather praise the England batsmen for executing their gameplan.

James100 wrote:https://twitter.com/Cricket_Ali/status/1542459551383011330

Ben Stokes had given Zak Crawley his full backing, effectively saying he’ll keep his spot “regardless” of what happens this Test. Picked as the best player to do the job they want long term

Feels like something Stokes has to say. Even if he doesn’t believe it.

Important to remember England don’t yet have a selector in place. I hope they don’t get carried away and think Key, McCullum, Stokes is enough.

Looking forward to this really. Just the one test to conclude last year's fine series. India coming in well undercooked with no long format cricket for some time. The side at least had nearly 2 weeks in there, that's one good thing. But they could go in with a side without both their top batters for the series last year as KL Rahul is out injured and skipper Rohit Sharma improbable to be fit with him not yet recovering from Covid. Ajinkya Rahane who was pretty poor mostly throughout the series is not part of the team, and Cheteshwar Pujara might be asked to open if Rohit doesn't make it. Hopefully, Kohli would be recharged and get back on track. Can Shreyas Iyer produce the goods in swinging, seaming conditions? Pant and Jadeja, hopefully will be on their A Game, both of them had underwhelming IPL campaigns... Will it be Ashwin back in? or will Shardul Thakur, who produced moments with bat and ball last year, keep his place? Would it be Siraj keeping his place as the seam bowling partner to Bumrah and Shami or will Umesh be prefered?
I hope they go in with
Rohit/Agarwal, Gill, Pujara, Kohli, Iyer, Pant, Jadeja, Ashwin/Shardul, Bumrah, Shami, Siraj.

As for England, I feel if England are to give a long rope to one of the 20 Somethings, it has to be Crawley. If he gets it right, he really can set test matches up. Too many technical limitations at the moment, but unless they go the other way and continue to let Haseeb Hameed evolve at the top level, Crawley is their best bet. Noticed they have yet another Compton in the mix, would be interesting to have a look at him at this level, for the sheer historic implications.
Sensible not to entrust Bairstow with the gloves for a one-off game and disrupt things for him when he's in the form of his life. Jamie Overton seemed more of a prospect than his county trundler brother though he could be all over the place at times. But with Anderson back and Potts with that impressive debut series, he had to make way. Makes the attack a bit 1-paced though...

The "last" test is an uneven battle between in form, well practiced and kicking a.ss. Eng
and an Indian side whose last competitive tests were many months ago vs SA and that too a failure

Eng's New Captain shows what Root was missing in captaincy..
While Root shows as a batsman he has one more gear above his already high standards
Bairstow & Leach have seemingly hit the purplest patch of their lives and Eng is chasing down totals that's making a mockery of the history of test match cricket

I think its early Adrenalin of Mccullum-Stokes like a couple in Honeymoon....not sustainable & normalcy will be restored soon...and hopefully in this test
If I am wrong...then Eng are Steve Waugh's Aus in the making

India on the other hand does not have an opener, or a captain and has a middle order with 2 slots with flaky aged and past expiry date batsmen in Pujara and Kohli

Bottom line.....Eng go in with better match practice, form, confidence and better batting form

India has a better seam attack.

Eng need the pitch to be ultra seaming for their seamers to be effective...but that would diminish their batting ...tough call on the type of pitch to make


Eng Favorites

I see Duty is not giving up on his "Covid Conspiracy" theory

Whatever ; Foakes clearly isn't fully fit so the much-travelled Billings gets another Test - with a bit more notice this time. Agree with Olly that this is probably preferable to changing YJB's role and bringing in Brook for one game - though I suppose it might make Billings feel like the Eternal Understudy...

Does leave the batting a little weaker though - and with Jimmy replacing Overton I do have concerns about that aspect of the team. Think India's bowlers - even if coming off a brief preparation - will be a tougher test than NZ : they will surely have more variety , probably two proper spinners and three good pacemen.

Less sure about the Indian batting. A few injured ; a few not in great form. Will bow to msp in team selection ; but whoever they pick they might be vulnerable if there is a bit of movement for the England seamers . Think they will handle Leach better than NZ , even if the confidence he gained from this latest game keeps him improving.

Not predicting this one. Could easily go either way , I reckon. Hope it provides as good a contest as the last three...

alfie wrote:I see Duty is not giving up on his "Covid Conspiracy" theory

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/cricket/ben-foakes-covid-england-india-test-b1009197.html

Actually, Foakes has 'recovered' from Covid (as much as someone can recover from something they didn't actually have).

It's his back injury keeping him out of this test, the same injury that forced him out of the third test v New Zealand.

James100 wrote:Ben Stokes had given Zak Crawley his full backing, effectively saying he’ll keep his spot “regardless” of what happens this Test.

As I suspected/feared, Crawley seems to be getting the double benefit of being in the right place in the opener's game of musical chairs when the new regime started, and getting out playing the sort of shots the team is now being told to play. Would rather have seen Burns or Hameed given this run while Crawley works on his game.

As for Foakes, why would they want to hide his back injury if that's what keeps him out? He has been set to have a good proper run in the side, and he did well in the New Zealand test before his injury and then the reported Covid infection. Why would they want to go that far to fake an injury to sit him out? If its someone like Anderson or Broad they wanted rested or something, perhaps they might, but why Foakes?

So Rohit is set to miss the game and Jasprit Bumrah will be leading India. Bumrah the fast bowler has been a fine reader of the game, and Bumrah the tailender has been a man of dedication and determination to make an impact even with his non-skill part for the team. How would Bumrah the skipper turn out to be? Hope he doesn't take it all upon himself and bowl himself to ground...
And hope they go in with Agarwal at the top and bat Pujara at 3. Don't think Hanuma Vihari is really going to be a long-term test player really. The lad seems to have a decent temperament and his technique isn't particularly shabby, but he just doesn't come across as if he has got it all together to be consistently successful at the top level. Until the likes of Jaiswal, Shaw, perhaps Padikkal and of course Shubman Gill are fully ready, hope Rohit, Kohli and Pujara can continue to do the job.

msp83 wrote:As for Foakes, why would they want to hide his back injury if that's what keeps him out? He has been set to have a good proper run in the side, and he did well in the New Zealand test before his injury and then the reported Covid infection. Why would they want to go that far to fake an injury to sit him out? If its someone like Anderson or Broad they wanted rested or something, perhaps they might, but why Foakes?

I believe the conspiracy is that they faked Covid so that they could replace him in the last game with Billings

Duty281 wrote:Crawley will keep his place because 'new England' isn't about actual ability in the batting, it's just about trying to score quick. Compton is averaging 87 this season, has made four centuries and five fifties, and is by a colossal margin the best opening batsman in the country. But he only scores at a strike rate of 40 and that's the key. 'Bazball' would prefer to see an opening batsman score 25 off 30 than watch Compton score a ton in 240 balls.

Compton has also played 18 F-C matches, his runs this season have come in div 2. I love a late bloomer but he's still well in the zone where something as simple as analysis showing seamers just need to be a touch wider on the crease when around the wicket could see his record tumble.

I don't think Crawley's a long term Test opener but I'd be picking Burns over Compton at this stage.

Compton has scored his runs in division 1 this season.

Apologies, getting mixed up there.

Still stand by the overall point though. 18 F-C games is a tiny sample size even with his prolific season thus far.

king_carlos wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Crawley will keep his place because 'new England' isn't about actual ability in the batting, it's just about trying to score quick. Compton is averaging 87 this season, has made four centuries and five fifties, and is by a colossal margin the best opening batsman in the country. But he only scores at a strike rate of 40 and that's the key. 'Bazball' would prefer to see an opening batsman score 25 off 30 than watch Compton score a ton in 240 balls.

Compton has also played 18 F-C matches, his runs this season have come in div 2. I love a late bloomer but he's still well in the zone where something as simple as analysis showing seamers just need to be a touch wider on the crease when around the wicket could see his record tumble.

I don't think Crawley's a long term Test opener but I'd be picking Burns over Compton at this stage.

True, analysis like that could see his average tumble. Or it might not. I'd prefer to take a chance on a player who is doing very well at first-class level, and did score a ton v a New Zealand XI as part of the FCC XI, than persist with someone like Crawley who has only made two scores of 50+ in his last 27 test innings.

18 FC games might be a small sample size, but in that time he's already made as many FC centuries as Crawley (79 matches).

It's academic anyway. Stats don't matter to this England side. It's about 'how you play'. Crawley looks flashy and plays some nice drives, so he's in. Compton's a grafter, so he's unlikely to come in. Lees is trying his best to fit in with a more aggressive approach, otherwise he's out. Burns, Sibley, Jennings and Hameed will probably never come back while 'Bazball' is in operation.

Buttler coming back, this time as an opener? Yep, that's probably going to happen at some point. It's all going to be a new world. Until Moeen gets recalled as well.

Wasn't the Buttler as opener thing just Sangakarra thinking out loud on comms that was then backed (of f-ing course) by Vaughan? So nothing to do with McCullum whatsoever in other words?

As said I'd drop Crawley. He averages 30 in F-C cricket for a reason.

Burns for his flaws still looks a better player than those tried since in my opinion.

Lees started out as a naturally aggressive batter early in his career then became more defensive amidst a huge run drought. Now he seems to be playing more off side scoring shots again. That I don't mind as he was looking like a less good, left-handed Sibley to me. It's a good example of where a more aggressive approach can make sense. If teams can just hang the ball 2 feet outside off stump against Lees he'll end up in the same hole Sibley often did because he had zero offside scoring options. Just too easy to bowl to those players.

I guess team change plans can be put on hold until after this match.

However I can see both sides of the Crawley business. His overall record is pretty disappointing ; and it does seem at odds with the obvious stroke making ability the fellow possesses. He arrived in the Test team with a fairly modest FC record ; and initially showed promise with some useful if not large innings before a mammoth 267 in just his eighth Test. That was always going to give him some credit in the bank.
Unfortunately he then had a five month break before going to Sri Lanka and India where his form fell off a cliff (probably his confidence too : might it have been better for him to go back to the CC for a bit ? But they didn't send him off - but kept him in to face NZ and India at home)
More poor form ; out of the side ; back eventually to face Australia and one striking innings there might have turned the corner - as the hundred at North Sound suggested. But no : another string of low scores and I do wonder where his head is at present : which is why I would have probably replaced him with Compton. But I am not in the dressing room and have no idea of his actual mental state : hopefully Stokes & co know what they are doing.

Duty somewhat cynically suggests stats don't matter to this England outfit. I'd prefer to amend that to "stats aren't everything." You can obviously hang Crawley on recent stats : in 32 knocks since his 267 he has made one century and passed forty on just four other occasions. Not good.

But we could look at another player for comparison : in 31 innings after his great 2020 SA tour , Ollie Pope had passed 35 just three times before the Trent Bridge Test , with a best of 91 being a long time ago . In fact only one score over 35 in his previous 25 innings. Plus he had looked a walking wicket in Australia and I doubt I was the only one just about ready to call him Ramprakash2 and return him to Surrey...

Maybe he isn't certified as the next Trott or Vaughan at three just yet ; but the century at TB and the fine 81 in the latest run chase do seem to justify the faith of the management in their judgement over raw figures...

Could the same be true of Crawley ? I honestly don't know ; but I think we can indulge Baz and Ben for the time being...

Showers are forecast for the next three days - could be a frustrating on and off type of test match potentially

Duty281 wrote:

It's academic anyway. Stats don't matter to this England side. It's about 'how you play'. Crawley looks flashy and plays some nice drives, so he's in. Compton's a grafter, so he's unlikely to come in. Lees is trying his best to fit in with a more aggressive approach, otherwise he's out. Burns, Sibley, Jennings and Hameed will probably never come back while 'Bazball' is in operation.

Buttler coming back, this time as an opener? Yep, that's probably going to happen at some point. It's all going to be a new world. Until Moeen gets recalled as well.

Jeez, Duty. What are you going to be like when they actually lose a game!

I know we were playing some outrageously brilliant test cricket before Baz and Ben arrived but give them a chance to fail at least.

Don't like batting first , do they ? Ben sends India in to bat ... reckons they've been doing pretty well chasing.

Hard to argue with that .

England have won the toss and are bowling first (also part of the brave new world strategy). No Ashwin, Thakur is in. Ashwin hasn't played a single test in this whole series...you could say he's, um, maligned. Seam bowling from India looks strong. Pujara's opening, that's a rarity. Kohli is still trying to get his first international century of the decade.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

It's academic anyway. Stats don't matter to this England side. It's about 'how you play'. Crawley looks flashy and plays some nice drives, so he's in. Compton's a grafter, so he's unlikely to come in. Lees is trying his best to fit in with a more aggressive approach, otherwise he's out. Burns, Sibley, Jennings and Hameed will probably never come back while 'Bazball' is in operation.

Buttler coming back, this time as an opener? Yep, that's probably going to happen at some point. It's all going to be a new world. Until Moeen gets recalled as well.

Jeez, Duty. What are you going to be like when they actually lose a game!

I know we were playing some outrageously brilliant test cricket before Baz and Ben arrived but give them a chance to fail at least.

I'll be my normal, cheerful, chipper self, don't you worry!

Watching live cricket for the first time in an age and, Christ on a bicycle, Kevin Pietersen is painful to listen to.

Galted wrote:Watching live cricket for the first time in an age and, Christ on a bicycle, Kevin Pietersen is painful to listen to.

Indian anthem, 'hold my beer'.

Galted wrote:Watching live cricket for the first time in an age and, Christ on a bicycle, Kevin Pietersen is painful to listen to.

FIGJAM.

I honestly didn't realise Pujara has an average of 98 opening the batting !

Small (8 innings) sample ; but still...

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Galted wrote:Watching live cricket for the first time in an age and, Christ on a bicycle, Kevin Pietersen is painful to listen to.

FIGJAM.

Haha, forgot about that.

I'm not sure what's more aggravating... the contrived non-accent, the tedious humour or the way he tries to force excitement into what he says, but he does deserve a good waterboarding.

alfie wrote:I honestly didn't realise Pujara has an average of 98 opening the batting !

Small (8 innings) sample ; but still...

Bolstered by a few not-outs. Certainly a change of pace to Rohit opening!

Looks a very good day for batting, once this swing abates. Not sure why you'd want to bowl first on this, but I think it's something England will do a majority of the time when they win the toss.

Only four overs ; but I've not seen anything yet to suggest this is a "send them in" pitch.

Not a lot of bounce and carry. In fact looks to be a bit on the low side...think maybe the slips might come forward a bit.

Gill looks ready to drive anything full enough.

Really not a huge fan of the bowl first thing - feels like they may have played into the 10:30 start time a bit too?

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Really not a huge fan of the bowl first thing - feels like they may have played into the 10:30 start time a bit too?

May be part of it. Not much movement so far - though Jimmy has shaped a couple away...

And in fact he does for Gill with one even as I type !

Shubman Gill ironically caught by Crawley in the slips, with one of the most Zak Crawley innings of all time

England will be glad of that. Was just going to say the ball might do a bit more as the lacquer comes off...which might prove challenging for Vihari now.

Gill four boundaries and out...almost Crawley-esque

Deserved for Jimmy, as ever. Not sure I'd agree with the commentators that Gill was looking good. He was playing at a couple before that that he should have left alone. Pujara at the other end is looking good, however.

Time for Vihari, he's not very experienced at 3. Has mostly been at 5/6 in his test career.