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Yeah that was my thinking. Surely just give Bairstow the gloves and bring in Brook if Foakes can't play. Then just play Brook at 6 and move Stokes down to 7. I know that just encourages him to go berserk but if he's going to do that at 6 when we are 30/4 anyway then I've no issue moving him down to 7.

Ordinarily I'd move Bairstow down but with the form he's in, we should just leave him where he is, even with the gloves.

or just bring Curran at 7

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We are 2-1 down

comment by Phenom (U20037)
posted 23 minutes ago
or just bring Curran at 7
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Wouldn't be against this especially if Jimmy was to come back in for Overton but England are still managing his workload so it might be a while before he's thrown into the test team. His ball striking and character will definitely be something that Stokes and McCullum would like to see though.

Anderson and Billings for JOverton and Foakes has been confirmed

Glad we've stuck with that lethal opening partnership

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The jury is very much out on Lees, for me. He's some way from cementing his place in the side (averaging 24 so far). But I'm content for him to be given some more time.

comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 6 hours, 31 minutes ago
What is the actual score in this series? I can't even remember how we left it.
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I had no idea the series wasn't finished or we're even going back to it

Lees is a strange one as he used to be someone who played his shots but then reinvented himself as a more obdurate opener. He doesn't look comfortable flashing outside off stump but maybe one big score will set him on his way.

In the 6 tests he's played so far though, the pitches have been pretty flat so him on 24.5 and Crawley on 22.5 in those 6 games is well below par. In fact the batting averages for the series don't read too well for either but especially bad for Crawley.

Root 396 at 99
JOverton 97 at 97
Bairstow 394 at 78.8
Stokes 194 at 48.5
Pope 267 at 44.5
Foakes 107 at 35.66
Lees 169 at 28.16
Broad 60 at 20
Anderson 16 at 16
Crawley 87 at 14.50
Leach 8 at 8
Parkinson 8 at 8
Potts 4 at 2

Worth noting that Broad isn't even boosted by any not outs and Jimmy only has one albeit only batted twice.

Both will obviously play tomorrow but it seems like both will get the South Africa series too. I hope they go for someone like Compton rather than Roy or Buttler but given how Stokes and McCullum have spoken, it feels like it's only a matter of time before we see Jos get another go.

I see it seems to be a 10:30am start tomorrow. I had assumed it was 11.

Yeah 10:30 start for the Indian TV coverage. Whether that makes too much of a difference in terms of what the ball will do is hard to know.

Siraj, Bumrah, Shami, Thakur and Jadeja will be a step up in quality bowling. As good as Southee and Boult are, you've got actual quick bowlers there, a 4th seamer in Thakur who I'm sure got Root a couple of times last year. Jadeja as a left arm spinner will likely play ahead of Ashwin too with out form players being Pope, Root and Bairstow.

Pujara is back in the fold after his form for Sussex but neither Rohit or Rahul are playing and they kept getting India off to good starts last year. So Bumrah will captain in the absence of Rohit even though Kohli who will play started the series as captain.

Great test (so to speak) for our new look aggressive McCullum side

England win the toss and bowl. I expect Stokes will choose to bowl first quite often when he wins the toss which goes against the grain in test cricket. Even with grass on the pitch and overhead conditions you generally bat first.

Gill, Pujara, Vihari, Kohli, Iyer, Pant is the top 6. I expect Jadeja and Thakur to score runs down the order so hopefully we can get to them a few down in this morning session.

10.30am start, any reason why?

Think it should be 10.30 instead of 11 anyway. Seem to always lose overs in test cricket due to the so many stoppages

On paper India's top 6 really doesn't look anything special.

Have to capitalise on that.

comment by T.J (U15973)
posted 19 minutes ago
10.30am start, any reason why?
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TV in India is what I've heard

Need a wicket

Got a wicket.

Nice confidence boost for Crawley.

Jimmy gets the first one. Unnecessary from Gill.