England's Winter of Cricket 2023/24

First topic message reminder :

After the disappointment of the World Cup, can England be the first away team in 11 years to win a test series in India?

Three ODIs v West Indies (3rd December-9th December)
Five T20s v West Indies (12th December-21st December)
Five Tests v India (25th January-11th March)

king_carlos wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Bharat falls like Axar mirror image of each dismissal of the other.

Balls definitely been spinning in last hour
STOKES  has not bothered to take new ball into  the 92nd over

One day, maybe in retirement, I might come back through the archives of these boards and try to use AI to break down KP_f's use of capitalisation. At times it seems random but I'm convinced there must be reason there. Like playing Beatles records backwards and finding out that Paul McCartney died. I'm not sure the technology is there yet. It's coming though.

Carlos - you get nuttier and better every Test.

king_carlos wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Bharat falls like Axar mirror image of each dismissal of the other.

Balls definitely been spinning in last hour
STOKES  has not bothered to take new ball into  the 92nd over

One day, maybe in retirement, I might come back through the archives of these boards and try to use AI to break down KP_f's use of capitalisation. At times it seems random but I'm convinced there must be reason there. Like playing Beatles records backwards and finding out that Paul McCartney died. I'm not sure the technology is there yet. It's coming though.

There is no reason that is intended to be communicated thru upper case.
I normally write on forum from my laptop but occasionally when I do from my phone, switching between upper case for the first letter and then to lower case doesn't work for me .Ditto with grammar, spelling and formatting when on phone.

And am lazy to go back and change.
So when you randomly see uppercase attribute it to my inefficiency with typing on phone

Just picking up the Foakes point on Guildford's excellent post from 11:51.

I thought the last Test Foakes was also pretty tidy with some of those stumpings in the second innings. None hugely difficult, but I could see an alternative scenario where the ball flies past Bairstow and he looks in confusion towards captain STOKES. So not the world beating stuff that we may never see, but quietly efficient

93 overs bowled in a day!!!!!!!!!!

I'm astonished. That with Anderson getting through 17.

It was an interesting day. India won a crucial toss and got first use of a near perfect batting wicket. The type a team should get 450+ on. But only Jaiswal, who was supreme, made full use of it. His innings was exemplary and his range of shots glorious. I loved how he reset after lofting a six to reach 100. Those big hundreds win games, and if he gets back in tomorrow it could be a treble.

Gill was undone by the skill of Anderson, who was England's best bowler, and debutant Patidar - who I liked the look of, very positive in defence - was highly unfortunate with his dismissal. The rest gifted their wickets after getting in. Gifted. And those gifts didn't even come about as a result of dot ball pressure.

Rohit's innings was very odd. He was in a defensive shell and missed out on several bad deliveries, then succumbed for hardly anything.

England got the balance of the team wrong again. Should be two seamers, not one. No excuse for picking so many spinners on a wicket like this, against the best nation of playing spin. England also drastically overbowled Root. They seem to have forgotten he's a part-time option, who can be decent v left-handers and a handful on receptive surfaces, not a frontline spinner who should open the bowling and get through 14 overs on the first day (0/71, could have been worse).

The use of Rehan was also very odd. He was kept out of the game until about the 60 over mark, then turned out to be England's best spinner. Why was he held back so long? Hartley and Bashir both inconsistent. Occasionally they kept it tight, more often they served up boundary balls.

Field placings were too negative and allowed too many easy singles. It was like an ODI field for much of it. Credit to Foakes for his superb catch of Iyer. But otherwise there were plenty of disappointing misfields, particularly from Rehan. No silly reviews and a great over rate, however!

So India didn't maximise winning the toss, and it was probably an even day when you take into account India's good run rate, although they'll be disappointed to have lost six wickets.

In the context of the match, however, India are ahead. It's going to be become difficult to bat on as time progresses, and we've already seen several balls keeping low and Rehan generating proper turn in the evening. England have to try and limit them to below 400 tomorrow.

VTR wrote:Just picking up the Foakes point on Guildford's excellent post from 11:51.

I thought the last Test Foakes was also pretty tidy with some of those stumpings in the second innings. None hugely difficult, but I could see an alternative scenario where the ball flies past Bairstow and he looks in confusion towards captain STOKES. So not the world beating stuff that we may never see, but quietly efficient

It's the double sided coin of judging keepers. The issue with seeing someone such as Bairstow miss a catch and thinking, "Foakes would take that", is that we see all keepers shell routine chances. Equally though, things that seem unremarkable from Foakes could be fluffed by others.

The Bairstow take off Marsh in the final Ashes Test feels like a great example to me. That was an astonishing one handed grab. There's a massive amount of reaction time and athleticism in that take. There's also an element of luck in those quarter chances that stick though. I'd be willing to bet you could put the best up to the stumps gloveman I've seen such as Foster, Russell and Prasana Jayawardena behind the stumps, they wont put a glove on that many times out of 10 even though YJB is a worse keeper than all.

So much of judging keepers in unnecessarily guesswork though. Dhoni for instance had a low drop percentage. He also didn't attempt many catches standing back that would require a dive. Someone such as Foakes might launch themselves at everything and drop more. Or 1st slip might stand narrower for a more conservative keeper, leading to misses elsewhere. Likewise a keeper standing too deep, one of my pet peeves, results in edges falling yards short but not drops. The England cordon did this a lot in the Ashes just gone I felt.

Cricket could learn a ton from a system such as baseball's Statcast and Trackman/Rapsada. The latter two tracks the ball, a bit like Hawkeye but off the bat as well. Statcast uses two cameras and a radar system to measure player movement. Between the two you remove the guesswork in looking at fielding and keeping. Instead of basic metrics such as drop percentage, you can say, "If an outside edge is travelling at this angle and this pace to the keepers outside hand, here is the average catch percentage, then here is Foakes/Bairstow/whoever's percentage".

Agree it's all an unknown, just stood out for me that at some key moments in a close match, Foakes executed what he was there to do. Bairstow was mostly iron gloves in The Ashes and reminiscent of a G Jones type keeper who could also take some spectacular catches but often mess up the easy stuff.

Foakes/Read type keepers seem to come with this idea that they'll be flying around grabbing every half chance that comes their way (overhyped by the media), but the reality is more about being steady and reliable

On the Bairstow vs Foakes as WK
Foakes is miles ahead, he is smooth and Bairstow looks labored.
The probability of half or 1/3rd chance ( as Cook called Iyer's catch in studio) sticking with Foakes is much higher
The probability of Bairstow fluffing a routine stumping or being too slow on a routine catch is also quite high.
Once in a while Foakes might fluff routine and Bairstow may pull off, half a chance.....but those are outlier cases.

That said I can understand why Bairstow would be preferred , as that would allow Harry Brook to be in the 11 and runs scored by Brook or Bairstow are more tangible and quantifiable than catches dropped or half chances taken

An empirical observation I have over many years of test cricket watching that the 3rd inning is the easiest time to bat.
It's governed by an auto-dynamics minus the pressure that's all passed on to the 4th inning.

A poor batting performance on top of poor team selection, masked on the first day by a very fine performance from 1 batter. That's the first day for India. Really terrible that they haven't learned a lot from the last test. The same timidity, the same throwing away wickets after getting set.
Rohit, who has been the very embodiment of intent over the last few months, was strangely timid in his approach, missing out on a few scoring opportunities upfront and then got caught unaware of the field placement.
Shubman Gill yet again, showed his gearbox crisis, the gears either get stuck or jump across, never a smooth going through... Never looked comfortable against Anderson, yet just kept trying the same thing leading up to the inevitable!
Shreyas Iyer, who can't play the short ball and so more of a liability overseas, gets selected because of his quality game against spin. But he has been distinctly ordinary in the series so far. Would rather have Patidar in and Iyer out when Virat returns, if Shreyas doesn't get his act together in the next innings.
As for Rajat Patidar, it surely was a bit unlucky that the ball rolled on to the stumps, but it ultimately was a poor shot. He's lucky he got this first chance at his age. The opportunities are not likely to be too many, have to really make it count.
Axar isn't in the Jadeja league. Jadeja has become someone who puts serious value on his wicket and you really have to get him out. Really was a poor shot from Axar.
As for Srikar Bharat, yet another poor showing and yet again raises questions on the state of the heads of the selection committee and team management! Guy isn't a test level top 7! They should have send Ashwin in when Axar fell.
The track, despite showing a bit of sign of life in the last hour, remains a batting track. England, with their new-found sense of freedom and broom plans, should get plenty on this and that too quickly. Unless the lower order and Jaiswal can somehow get India pass 450, think this irresponsible batting show might prove to be their undoing in the game.

As for Yashasvi Jaiswal, what an innings. Got himself in, didn't over attack, didn't do anything rash other than an attempted slog late in the day. Batted in positive test match tempo and did it really well. Hope he can manage to get in again, come tomorrow...

Really unsmart team selection from India. Don't mind the Patidar selection, though I'd have goine for Sarfaraz.
But Mukesh? Can't bat, doesn't add value as a fielder. Doesn't have express pace. What can a medium pacer add in these conditions?! Hope he can stick around with the bat tomorrow and chip in with a couple of wickets tomorrow, but really don't see him playing much of a role in the test...
It was only last week that England's least likely batter to succeed against spin, , and a club level spinner combined to deliver a dramatic turnaround. Perhaps Mukesh can also deliver something similar...

KP_fan wrote:An empirical observation I have over many years of test cricket watching that the 3rd inning is the easiest time to bat.
It's governed by an auto-dynamics minus the pressure that's all passed on to the 4th inning.

It should be easy to "prove" by looking at runs scored and scoring rates. It makes sense theoretically as well - the green goes off the pitch, the bowlers are likely to be a bit tired, some may be carrying small injuries due to earlier exertions.

msp83 wrote:Really unsmart team selection from India. Don't mind the Patidar selection, though I'd have goine for Sarfaraz.
But Mukesh? Can't bat, doesn't add value as a fielder. Doesn't have express pace. What can a medium pacer add in these conditions?! Hope he can stick around with the bat tomorrow and chip in with a couple of wickets tomorrow, but really don't see him playing much of a role in the test...
It was only last week that England's least likely batter to succeed against spin, , and a club level spinner combined to deliver a dramatic turnaround. Perhaps Mukesh can also deliver something similar...

Frikkin Brainless Dravid is ......and I am amazed Rohit & rest of coaching team and seniors have turned blind or hypnotized by his process-procedure-not about winning or losing management jargon lectures
They have picked a WK who will score an average of 20 something....when you have a couple of WKs who can deliver big 50s and 100s in country ( Ishan and Samson)
You have lost your top 3 batters in KL and Jadeja and Kohli...and carrying unreliable Iyer & Gill
and then you pick a seam bowler as the 5th bowler who cannot bat and will bowl 5 forced overs in the match
It was a no brainer to have Washington........else sarfaraz
He leaves the downside so exposed

Dravid is not fit for competitive, cut-throat games which require fire, intensity, win at any cost, win is all that matters environment.
He was good as NCA head and then A-team coach.....where grooming a supply line for the national team was the objective...and no one either remembered  or cared for the results of the A-tours

We have to bear him until the T20 world cup which we will not even come close to winning and he will be released.

VTR wrote:Just picking up the Foakes point on Guildford's excellent post from 11:51.

I thought the last Test Foakes was also pretty tidy with some of those stumpings in the second innings. None hugely difficult, but I could see an alternative scenario where the ball flies past Bairstow and he looks in confusion towards captain STOKES. So not the world beating stuff that we may never see, but quietly efficient

Too kind, VTR. Too kind. I actually thought Foakes finished the two second innings of the last Test well with both bat and gloves. Riding shotgun as a fine support act to Pope in their vital century stand and then, as you say, keeping tidily with two stumpings to end the match. However, I had concerns as to his performance in the two first innings. A stuttery and unconvincing showing with the bat and then playing his part in all three England reviews being lost in about 14 overs, two absolutely squandered. To add to the mayhem, he then missed a catch offered by Rahul which was given as a bye and so even if taken wouldn't have been able to be reviewed and given.

Hopefully, the way he performed in the closing stages last time have helped his self-belief (something Alfie touched on about him in T1) and aided his good performance as seen today. Foakes is certainly a more natural and tidier keeper than Bairstow but imo he does need to take greater charge behind the stumps, especially with reviews.

Eng has just one seamer and he has been handful with both new balls and also with the old.
Looked like getting wickets in every spell.
21 over for 38 and 2wkts

While the spinners have been meat and drinks
Jaiswal 200...smashes 6 and 4 to get there.
Kuldeep, bumrah and Mukesh need to hang around him

Yashasvi Jaiswal (born 28 December 2001) - just turned 22 years old - seems like a very special talent for India.

Mukesh Kumar dravid's special.selection
0 runs in 3 balls
2 over for 22 runs
6 overs of seam for 46 runs

Crawley has given 2 chances of Ashwin and duckett gone in 2nd over of kuldeep.
And.
Dravid's favorite Wk misses Pope's stumping first ball

Has not been easy going for Eng
Spinners are spinning and seamers are getting reverse
Even the runs scored by crawley were very chancy
Eng need to show patience ...Root looked so restless

Bowled neck and crop middle.uprooted, timber flying is one of the.joys to behold and that too on a pitch as docile ....and morale deflating for the batting side

This is starting to shape up to one of those very common front runner Test victories. Can never write this England team off, but does have the feel of India gaining a lead of 120ish then building on it to set a total that England really won't get near

Ollie Pope does have a case of the Vaughan’s where everytime he is bowled it is made to look like a ball of the century… England number 3 heritage being maintained.

Bumrah continues with his game turning spell.
From about 40 min before tea balls been reversing at one end and spinning at other.

Eng not showing patience that condition demand

KP_fan wrote:Bumrah continues with his game turning spell.
From about 40 min before tea balls been reversing at one end and spinning at other.

Eng not showing patience that condition demand

Honestly I think it's the exact opposite - we've gone into our shells a bit, Bumrah bowled six overs for two runs in that spell! Would've liked to see a proper counter from someone in there, they've kinda just let it happen

Soft dismissal for Foakes...his India record with the bat does not make for pretty reading at this stage

Not going too well , eh ?

Got in a bit late from a late finishing match in very hot weather (we lost ). And have seen a bit of a procession. Apart from Rehan , I don't think anyone has thrown his wicket away ; but Bumrah in particular has just been too good for them. I know this lot have produced a few remarkable comebacks but hard to see them finding a way back into this game now...

Credit to India for their efforts in the field on a pitch which still looks pretty OK for batting. Hasn't been crazy bazball aggression - in fact what I've seen they've mainly played fairly carefully - but I suppose the risk of a bit of a collapse is always there with this England outfit. Annoying after getting India out south of 400 - which seemed to be a decent result. Ah well ...at least they've avoided the follow on

Bumrah

Bumrah back to end this mini partnership successfully. Jaiswal looks the major difference in this game, nobody else has managed to come close to a big score

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Bumrah continues with his game turning spell.
From about 40 min before tea balls been reversing at one end and spinning at other.

Eng not showing patience that condition demand

Honestly I think it's the exact opposite - we've gone into our shells a bit, Bumrah bowled six overs for two runs in that spell! Would've liked to see a proper counter from someone in there, they've kinda just let it happen

Soft dismissal for Foakes...his India record with the bat does not make for pretty reading at this stage

How did it start ?
Crawley attempting 2 slogs per over
Root came and immediately reverse swept 2nd ball and wanted to feel bat on ball
They needed to at that time leave balls outside the off and defend good spinning deliveries
The shell they went into was after those two fell
And that shell became shell sshocked when Pope's timber was uprooted.
Stokes also bowled ...threw his arms up ...didn't quite understand if he was complaining or just disgusted with himself.

Stokes has a weakness exposed in this tour to incoming /sliding in deliveries

Yes it is notable that Jaiswal has been just so far ahead of the rest it's ridiculous (didn't see the Crawley innings ; but everyone else has either not gone on or never really got in) . Strange considering everyone had tagged this as a road from the start. But it has been different : the Indian top order mostly got themselves out ; but today England's bats have just been undone by fine bowling. Has the pitch changed that much overnight ? Or have India just bowled far better ?

Looks like being a deficit of 150 or thereabouts: hard to imagine a way to turn that into a fourth innings magical chase

Might be more than 150 as Bumrah and Gill share another scalp. 234/9 ...ouch.

5-fer....it's not spin but Bumrah that took pitch of equation and blew Eng's middle order out.
Umesh / shami too would have exploited reverse

Mukesh can but hasn't been able to get his radar right

That was most likely bat hitting ground that caused the spike
But batsman gets rightfully the benefit of doubt

Always love watching Jimmy bat

Excellent boundary followed by nutmegging the keeper...given as bye though

Only 144 behind now . Lot less than last time . But batting last makes it a bit different...

The tail wagged to make it semi respectable I guess but it's a long way back

Last time.an Indian bowler delivered such a hostile spell of pace and reverse in India as I remember was Srinath vs SA sometime in mid 90s.
Eng surely would think what if we had Wood.
Conventional logic would suggest Ind should win from here, but these days with Eng you have to add a Caveat "but you never know"

India need to score 300ish atleast

Reckon as long as India can muster 200 they're safe. Wouldn't fancy chasing 350 plus on days 4/5 . Actually 250 would be tricky unless it counterintuitively becomes easier to bat on

No praise too much for Bumrah. That was magic stuff

Opening pair not hanging around, Bashir taken for 3 fours in a row

Individual brilliance seems the difference maker in the series so far. Contributions from Pope and Hartley turned around the first test for England and Jaiswal/Bumrah have been a class apart in this game.

Never say never with England making a game of it but I would India will effectively put the game away tomorrow

when Eng visited India in 2016-17 the Indians seamers would be any 2 of Ishant, Umesh and Shami...and they routinely picked 4 to 5 out of 20 wickets....with hard working, reverse swing to break open the game.

Shami if fit would have justified playing a 2nd seamer......Mukesh too knows how to reverse it, but did not find his radar
Rohit owes the team a BIG one tomm

Eng-Lions need 320 on last day with 8 wickets in hand
Sai Sudarshan scored a timely 100....and can expect a call if either Gill fails or Kohli remains unavailable.

Akashdeep the fast bowler can also be in line for a call -up if he picks a few wickets tomm

I saw the Crawley, Root, Pope and Bairstow dismissals. Then headed to work. I honestly felt it was more a case of brilliant bowling than terrible batting though.

Did Root have to play it? No. Then again, the reason Root often bats for an hour without seeming to do much and suddenly he's 30* from 42 balls is because he constantly rotates the strike from balls in that channel. He's one of the very best I've seen at it. Bumrah had it reversing both ways at pace, the ball maybe bounced a touch more than expected. It did for him.

Does Pope have a tendency to look like he got a worldie when he's castled? Yes. It's still a fantastic yorker from a probably the best yorker bowler in the game now that Starc hasn't been hooping them as much.

Whilst I wouldn't say that Bairstow's was an awful shot. Bumrah very smartly kept his line the same, in that drivable channel, but smartly shifted his length around to tempt the big shot. Overall, I think YJB is better when he tries to play his shots to the quicks. I understand the thinking element of, "Your team's wobbling, reign it in Jonny". I reckon that Bairstow gets England out of trouble playing like that more often than he does by being conservative though. His knock in T1D1 of the Ashes comes to mind. England were on the verge of s***ing the bed epically on the first day of an Ashes series, batting on an absolute road, after winning the toss and batting when he joined Root at 5 down. Bairstow's 78 at a run a ball in that 120 run partnership was the one that swung it back England's way. Root's hundred was brilliant, but, Bairstow really swung that when England were in dire straits, I feel that got lost somewhat in the declaration debate.

Similar to my views with Crawley. In isolation, he danced down the pitch and skied one. I think Crawley is scoring more runs in India batting like that than dabbing it around though. No doubt in that to me.

I haven't been short of criticism for England when I've felt the aggression with the bat has spilled over. That collapse at Lord's is up there with the most annoyed I've been as a cricket fan. There is a trade off that the remarkable days we've had with this batting line-up might be offset by wickets falling in batches. Today felt like that rather than outright silly shot making for the sake of it.

Bumrah now has the second lowest Test bowling average for a bowler with more than 150 wickets. He's sneakily becoming the all format player of his generation, be that batting or bowling. He's so good in T20s that it's almost easy to forget. By a distance the best seamer in the shortest form with only Rashid Khan challenging him among other types of bowlers. He's absolutely elite in all three phases of ODIs too. Whilst he has that Test record. A unique and brilliant bowler. A mixture of pace, supreme wrist control, slower balls with enough revs that they deviate off the pitch, one of the best yorkers the sport as seen, then that unique release point half a metre forward of where other bowlers release that is still bamboozling batters who have faced him for years. He's a brilliantly entertaining cricketer. That is as good a Michelle as you'll see considering the flat wicket and a ball that only gave him brief windows of movement to exploit, which he did perfectly.

Top class from Bumrah. A match-winning spell if ever I've seen one. It's a case of the bowler being too good, not an instance of the batting being found wanting. Sometimes you just have to doff your cap to a world-class bowler.

Mukesh Kumar, meanwhile, was a completely wasted selection.

England did do well to keep India below 400 before all that, but (as said yesterday) it was mainly down to poor batting than good bowling, Jimmy apart. Jimmy was sublime.

It has been odd that Jaiswal is the only centurion so far. It's a very good batting wicket. A battle between him and Bumrah for MOTM...

India just need to bat through tomorrow, take that lead beyond 400, and allow the pitch to break up for Ashwin and co in the fourth innings. England need a stupendous spell from somewhere to keep the chase below 350.

Duty281 wrote:India just need to bat through tomorrow, take that lead beyond 400, and allow the pitch to break up for Ashwin and co in the fourth innings. England need a stupendous spell from somewhere to keep the chase below 350.

It's the sort of situation where teams often score quickly too. Lower pressure and the bowling side need wickets so the field is often attacking. Bring the field up and you go for boundaries, the game can run away quickly. Put the field back, get milked for singles and the game drifts away slowly whilst us armchair captains wonder why we haven't taken risks. Tough either way, unless you can find a flurry of wickets early.

The pitch should be breaking up nicely by the end of tomorrow as well. Recently sides in India have opted for the lighter rollers during their batting innings as the prevailing view is the heavy roller can break up the surface. If England were in India's position tomorrow I'd be annoyed if they weren't getting the heavy roller on after lunch and tea to try to break it up as much as possible though. Once the lead is comfortable, maybe an excess of dancing down the wicket whilst dragging your feet a touch as well.

It's India's to lose after Jaiswal's wonderful innings and Bumrah fantastic bowling. Sometimes you get outdone by good play.

king_carlos wrote:The pitch should be breaking up nicely by the end of tomorrow as well. Recently sides in India have opted for the lighter rollers during their batting innings as the prevailing view is the heavy roller can break up the surface. If England were in India's position tomorrow I'd be annoyed if they weren't getting the heavy roller on after lunch and tea to try to break it up as much as possible though. Once the lead is comfortable, maybe an excess of dancing down the wicket whilst dragging your feet a touch as well.

Re: Rollers....yup light roller settles and heavy roller breaks the pitch and factoring rollers as a part of strategy can give advantage especially in these conditions

The prerogative of using  roller at all and what type is with batting side and it's allowable only during
Either change of inning
Or at the start of days play ( not in each session)
Light roller settles the pitch and its noticed for about 40 min( about 10 overs)
Heavy roller without watering would crumble the pitch.

So Ind surely would have used a light roller before start of their inning today and will use same tomorrow morning...and effectively get about 15-20 calm overs.

If Ind declares or is bowled out tomm, then Eng  will do the same...ie light roller tomm at change of innings and again next morning.
However if India could bat on until after tomorrow, and if they are switched on they should use  Heavy Roller in the morning,  that will completely break the pitch.
The light roller that Eng will thereafter use between innings will be of limited use.

I hope Dravid and Rohit are switched on to this if they get to a position of declaration.

Magical stuff from Jasprit Bumrah! Absolutely outstanding! Along with Jaiswal who masked the batting travesty of the rest, he has brought India back into the game and given them a great advantage. England did collapse, but unlike India, they were done in with some bowling brilliance that represented a fabulous level of skill.
Don't think at all that England bazballed themselves into a crisis. If anything, that gave them a better total than it otherwise would have. Crawley would never have scored 76 plodding along in these conditions. Bumrah was just outstanding...
If India can withstand their perennial nemesis James Anderson and play the spinners with intent, they shouldn't end up squandering Bumrah's and Jaiswal's efforts. Old man Anderson was still so lethal in the first innings. Play him out without taking too many chances, get him into more spells by being proactive against the slow bowlers. Rohit hasn't delivered a decisive innings after his hundred against Australia a year ago. The skipper would be hoping for a big one tomorrow. Both Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer will be under pressure to really deliver a telling contribution tomorrow. Both have been inconsistent and wasteful in the series so far.
England will surely be believing, and I feel India need 300+ in the 2nd innings to feel confident.

I suppose it is generally dangerous to write off this England outfit , however dire the situation. But I'm struggling to envisage a combination of pitch wear/Indian second innings/chase down that could do the trick this time...

Although the situation at present is almost identical to that which prevailed after two innings in July 2022...and we all know how that turned out ! Big difference being this is India not Edgbaston

The biggest impediment to English hopes of restricting India today is probably the fact that the ageless but still 41 year old Anderson is being forced back into action following a big first innings effort , culminating in an eight over spell on the second morning - without even a day to rest from his labours. Seems unlikely he'll be able to shoulder quite so much of the work today - which is going to put a lot back on the inexperienced spin attack.

The young spinners have been rightly praised for performing rather well on tough debuts : but I think we've also seen their limitations (at least at this stage of their careers). Hartley was ineffective on day one , much as he was in the first match ; if not quite as expensive. And while Bashir took his three wickets without much help from the pitch , he ended up conceding a lot of runs...and has started expensively in this second knock. Rehan as we knew is always liable to provide at least one four ball every over as an offset to his wicket taking potential. I rather fear that if the pitch stays relatively benign England could be in for a rough day today. And of course if it instead starts to become overly spin friendly and the young guns bowl India out then that fourth innings chase starts to look even more daunting.

But anyway I'm not going to fuss about all this - just settle in to watch and see what comes about. Already have enjoyed (from a totally "neutral" , cricket loving perspective) Jaiswal's wonderful innings , Anderson's amazing ability to defy the years and produce magic on an unhelpful pitch , and Bumrah's sheer brilliance to dismiss several pretty good batsmen who really didn't do a lot wrong but still couldn't withstand his magnificent series of mini-spells yesterday. Just wish I'd been home in time to see Crawley's knock.

Great start for Jimmy ! His fourth ball this morning and he's ripped out Rohit's off stump with lovely late movement

Root starting OK too. Maiden , followed by one that turned and bounced to Jaiswal. 30/1.

Two for Jimmy !!! Leaves Jaiswal late and the edge is taken low by Root at slip... Can't look away from these chaps...

30/2.

Msp wanted to see Gill and Iyer under pressure...has his wish already as they are together both on nought

Wonder if England would muse on whether they should have picked a second seamer ? They wouldn't , actually : I don't think they worry about decisions, once made , however they turn out ...just get on with the next day.

Here's a third wicket : Or is it ? Gill given lbw to Hartley- who has replaced Root : looked clearly out : but after consulting his partner , he called a review ...and TV umpire detects it was bat first . Was one of those nearly simultaneous impacts - and clearly Gill was not at all sure he'd hit it. Narrow escape ! Could be a big moment as 34/3 would have been a bit alarming for the Indian dressing room

Hartley starts off bowling well too.

Now Jimmy is trying a review against Gill for lbw ...looks good...but Gill survives again ! Just into umpires call territory for height , by millimetres ...if he'd been given on field he'd be gone. Gill is in danger of using up his whole teams luck quotient very quickly !

Anderson continues to pose a threat...draws an edge from Iyer but it falls short of slip. Has 2/12 from six overs...four of them this morning so India will be desperate to see him off without further damage. Iyer looks more prepared to look for runs than Gill , who is clinging on for dear life at the moment.

Hartley has started well ; but with two right handers in I wonder if we will see Rehan a bit earlier than on Friday ?

...well here's a surprise : Jimmy off already and Bashir into action. Think I'd have given Anderson one more ; but I guess they are seeking to emulate the Bumrah very short spell tactic of yesterday ?

Gill seems happier facing Bashir. Using his feet and collecting a couple of runs. Important England keep pressure on after those early wickets : otherwise those bits of fortune for Gill might have turned the game back on the expected Indian controlled path that seemed ordained at start of play. So another trial for both two young spinners and two somewhat under pressure batsmen...

50/2

200 lead now and Gill gaining confidence rapidly , launches Bashir back over his head for six. Fair to say this bowling change hasn't started well.

At the other end Hartley nearly has Gill , whose luck is holding up well ! Beaten completely...edge past Foakes and just inside Root's position at slip so results in a boundary : guess you could call it perfectly placed

Runs coming quickly now. 69/2