Until we find 3 more batters. we will not be favourites to regain the ashes..
Anyway, I keep hearing how the series was close. Not really. If you lose 4-1 is a huge margin. Its not all ifs and buts..

comment by Liverpoolwhoelse17 (U16825)
posted 9 hours, 27 minutes ago
Until we find 3 more batters. we will not be favourites to regain the ashes..
Anyway, I keep hearing how the series was close. Not really. If you lose 4-1 is a huge margin. Its not all ifs and buts..
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close...ffs take Kohli out & it's an embarrassment

Lol, true, Kholi is this generations Tendulkar / Lara...

comment by Liverpoolwhoelse17 (U16825)
posted 10 hours, 10 minutes ago
Until we find 3 more batters. we will not be favourites to regain the ashes..
Anyway, I keep hearing how the series was close. Not really. If you lose 4-1 is a huge margin. Its not all ifs and buts..
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That's more testament to the way Test cricket is these days where even a 4-1 loss you can say the touring side actually competed. Aside from that SA Aus series where the home side were in shambles, there hasn't been much over the past 5 years. Theres no doubt our batsmen didn't turn up (a big part down to only playing one tour game against a weak Essex side) but the bowlers competed well it must be said.

The common consensus is that Shastri has to go. He has added nothing since he took over and I personally feel his role is untenable. For all the batting talent we have in the A side and U19's (who recently trashed England away from home) it is not being utilised properly.

Test rankings are a joke.
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who would you say is number one then, every team that might make a case for number one is equally poor away from home as india are, so the rankings cant be put on hold until world cricket finds a proper number one

Teams need to work out how to play away from home, surely all this analysis by Ex players these days should prep the players, for eg, England should be prepping spin tome now, & dusty wickets, test cricket doesn't change, make a big score & you don't lose...

Pakistan were worthy number 1's when we had Misbah and YK in the team.

We were dominant in the UAE and pretty competitive around the world except in NZ & Australia.

Most teams lose in England but Pakistan seem to give them the tightest series.

Pakistan were worthy number 1's when we had Misbah and YK in the team.
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then yes we were but at the moment it just seems to be the team who play the most games at home atm, Pakistan load their series with ltd overs cricket and usually play short 2/3 test series

comment by Wetherbyterrier (U2075)
posted 7 minutes ago
Teams need to work out how to play away from home, surely all this analysis by Ex players these days should prep the players, for eg, England should be prepping spin tome now, & dusty wickets, test cricket doesn't change, make a big score & you don't lose...

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This. Although as Kohli said, teams don't get much out of tour games by playing counties on different pitches to what they'd face in test matches against second string bowling attacks.

There should be a duty to prep visiting teams against tough opposition on pitches which will be similar to what they will play in test matches. Visiting teams should have to adapt but give them a chance. 4 day games against a full strength county champions team, the lions, even a handpicked division 2 XI would be a really good side.

All countries should use the dukes ball for test cricket too, creates a more competitive game between bat and ball.

Currently, there is no number 1 side in test cricket due to home pitches/conditions suiting their attacks

comment by TCM (U8959)
posted 1 hour, 2 minutes ago
comment by Wetherbyterrier (U2075)
posted 7 minutes ago
Teams need to work out how to play away from home, surely all this analysis by Ex players these days should prep the players, for eg, England should be prepping spin tome now, & dusty wickets, test cricket doesn't change, make a big score & you don't lose...

----------------------------------------------------------------------
This. Although as Kohli said, teams don't get much out of tour games by playing counties on different pitches to what they'd face in test matches against second string bowling attacks.

There should be a duty to prep visiting teams against tough opposition on pitches which will be similar to what they will play in test matches. Visiting teams should have to adapt but give them a chance. 4 day games against a full strength county champions team, the lions, even a handpicked division 2 XI would be a really good side.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The last time India won 2 Tests in England was in the mid 80's I believe when they played 4 warm up games . Even in 2004, they played 8 competitive warm up games with the red ball before the Test series started.

Having more warm up games doesn't always correlate to winning more games abroad but it sure as hell helps. The Indian players' schedules are so ram packed though they get such little time. Given the choice of deciding to emphasise trying to win Test series' abroad or loading their pockets with lucrative limited over series' revenue the BCCI will choose the latter every time.

comment by I Kante Drinkwater (U15973)
posted 55 minutes ago
All countries should use the dukes ball for test cricket too, creates a more competitive game between bat and ball.

Currently, there is no number 1 side in test cricket due to home pitches/conditions suiting their attacks
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How would a duke fair in a very warm climate though? There has to be a reason why it never gets used in Asia and Oz?

The Aussies using the Dukes ball over the Kookaburra

There would be national protests down under if that ever happened.

Not watching but does Broad look like he's struggling? There's rumours going round that he's got a broken rib although others are saying it's bruised from when he took a ball into the ribs from Bumrah. He's bowling so it obviously can't be that bad but it'll be interesting to see how many overs he does bowl today if there is a problem.

Broad is tipped to be dropped for the Sri Lanka series and England going for 3 spinners

He seems fine. Will probably use it as an excuse if he doesn't get any more wickets and could be a way out of not having to go to Sri Lanka.

comment by (Kash) I'm the Mane (U1108)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by I Kante Drinkwater (U15973)
posted 55 minutes ago
All countries should use the dukes ball for test cricket too, creates a more competitive game between bat and ball.

Currently, there is no number 1 side in test cricket due to home pitches/conditions suiting their attacks
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How would a duke fair in a very warm climate though? There has to be a reason why it never gets used in Asia and Oz?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sure Pakistan were using the dukes ball in Pakistan domestic scene before they went to play England

https://www.firstpost.com/sports/pakistan-to-practise-with-duke-balls-at-home-to-prepare-for-england-tour-2809176.html

comment by I Kante Drinkwater (U15973)
posted 41 seconds ago
comment by (Kash) I'm the Mane (U1108)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by I Kante Drinkwater (U15973)
posted 55 minutes ago
All countries should use the dukes ball for test cricket too, creates a more competitive game between bat and ball.

Currently, there is no number 1 side in test cricket due to home pitches/conditions suiting their attacks
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How would a duke fair in a very warm climate though? There has to be a reason why it never gets used in Asia and Oz?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sure Pakistan were using the dukes ball in Pakistan domestic scene before they went to play England

https://www.firstpost.com/sports/pakistan-to-practise-with-duke-balls-at-home-to-prepare-for-england-tour-2809176.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worked well for Pakistan in the last two tours of England.

There's the breakthrough

Vihari goes too

Fair play to Rahul, surely should have got Rashid bowling at him earlier if he's going to be aggressive with all these runs to play with.

Ridiculous that he's still not had a bowl.

comment by United_kaz (U9943)
posted 3 hours, 59 minutes ago
Test rankings are a joke.
------------
who would you say is number one then, every team that might make a case for number one is equally poor away from home as india are, so the rankings cant be put on hold until world cricket finds a proper number one
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It can't be difficult...

1) rank matches on whether you are home or away

2) Use the same ball the world over as instructed by the ICC, or maybe even rank the type of ball used if not

3) Points to be slightly adjusted for win/loss of toss

4) Points adjustment for length of series

5) other...please add as you see fit

We desperately need a wicket here

comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 1 minute ago
We desperately need a wicket here
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I'm glad we're seeing some resistance from India here. Some entertaining resistance too.

With these two in one day mode, we've got just the right two bowlers to try and slow them down and force a wicket.

Although both are bowling pretty poorly at the moment.