comment by T.J (U15973)
posted 9 hours, 13 minutes ago
Get Livingstone in the side, in the form of his life
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I actually mooted this two weeks ago

Be interesting what kind of pitch is prepared for Leeds. It will be verry green and grassy (in my opinion). May not work in Englands favour since we cant bat anyway.
But the only way England can win is by bowling India out for less than 100. In the first innings.

but the odds are so stacked against us...

1 We're at home
2 The Indians apply themselves to the task in hand
3 With probably two or three exceptions...we don't..

Fail to see any scenario where this is a level playing field

comment by bestoftherest2021 (U22523)
posted 5 hours, 10 minutes ago
Mention Rory Burns scoring centuries. He as 3 in almost 30 tests.. so thats 1 every ten 10s test.
Massive success. I would get him the end of the series. Move Hammed upto open. No idea who plays 3.
I would get Baristow back at wicketkeepr. so we need a number 3 and number 5

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Yeah it's not good, Sibley and Burns have 5 centuries and 14 fifties between them across 47 test matches.

I'd definitely get Hameed to open for Sibley, Sibley needs a break and Hameed needs a run although he's not going to score any quicker than Sibley so we'll have a similar problem unless he makes some scores over the period of a full day.

I've been pushing for Malan to come back but the more I think about it, I'd probably give Vince another go although when he goes driving hard at a ball he shouldn't and edges behind I'll be going mental I'd keep Jonny at 5 for now.

From a bowlers perspective, sounds like Woakes is still out and Wood will probably miss out. Mahmood will surely come in for Wood. Curran will get another go although 1 wicket in the series and a king pair in the last test means he's not offering a lot.

On a more positive note, Joe Root has moved up to number 2 in the batting rankings.

Back to the negative, unfortunately the next 4 highest (excluding Stokes and Pope who aren't in the squad) are

Burns 28th
Buttler 33rd
Sibley 66th
Bairstow 72nd

India comparably have

Kohli 5th
Rohit 6th
Pant 7th
Rahane 14th
Pujara 18th

We know the batting is the difference between the sides and if we are going to compete, we need 4 or 5 guys in that top 20-25.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Given the plethora of talent in white ball cricket...would it not be fair to expect at least a decent second string in red ball

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Also interesting to read that the Indian tail were fired up by the criticism of them as batsmen by the commentary team. Shame our batsmen can't be fired up be the same criticism

Sibley dropped, Malan and Mahmood in squad for next test.

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 22 minutes ago
Sibley dropped, Malan and Mahmood in squad for next test.
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Well...it's a start

comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 2 hours, 45 minutes ago
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 12 minutes ago
Given the plethora of talent in white ball cricket...would it not be fair to expect at least a decent second string in red ball
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Not really. We've focused the last 5 years around white ball. They're too totally different games these days. We've seen numerous players come in and not come close to the technique needed for tests.
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Well I disagree...are they not governed by the same people...the ECB

It's shortsighted at best

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 30 minutes ago
Sibley dropped, Malan and Mahmood in squad for next test.
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I thought Mahmood was already called into the squad as cover for Jimmy in the last test but yeah, if Wood is a doubt then Mahmood will surely play.

Crawley has been released along with Sibley so I think the batting line up is sorted. Lawrence has been retained in the squad with Pope getting a recall but I'm not sure the latter will play unless Bairstow is being given the gloves but I can't see that happening.

The players don't care most of all. When you get paid way more money for 20/20 and 100 and its only 1 day. makes 5 day cricket seem pointless. Thats why the standard of test batting all around the world has dropped

England/South Africa/ Australia/Sri-Lanka/Pakistan etc all have very poor batting line ups

They have lost the ability to bat for long periods. Take Buttler (wish someone would) hes struggled his entire career at test level to be able to get the tempo right.
Hes expected to bat like a test batsman. when in ODI he naturally gets on with it.

Thankfully Sibley as been dropped.. hes a right handed version on Keaton Jennings. Neither got forward.. Neither could drive on the offside or down the ground. Both very limited
Unless Sibley changes his approach.. He should never play test cricket again.

Unless we coach players better (who should already have a basis of skill anyway) we will struggle hugely

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 21 minutes ago
Unless we coach players better (who should already have a basis of skill anyway) we will struggle hugely
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Coaching better isn't really a thing when it comes to taking modern players who from 10 years old have been brought up to have one day skillets. Once a player reaches test level you're not suddenly going to turn them onto Allistair Cook. Players are picked and told to play their game. Ben Stokes is about the only one to evolve into a top order player by adapting. Look at what happened when Alex Hales and Jason Roy came in. You can't just coach them how to play test cricket when everything they have done before has been about white ball skills.
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So...do we opt out of test cricket then

Jason Roy's problem is he's too tense...he spends the first five overs wondering why he's not out...(if he's still in) and he's too eager to make runs quick

This can be coached out

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Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 21 minutes ago
Unless we coach players better (who should already have a basis of skill anyway) we will struggle hugely
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Coaching better isn't really a thing when it comes to taking modern players who from 10 years old have been brought up to have one day skillets. Once a player reaches test level you're not suddenly going to turn them onto Allistair Cook. Players are picked and told to play their game. Ben Stokes is about the only one to evolve into a top order player by adapting. Look at what happened when Alex Hales and Jason Roy came in. You can't just coach them how to play test cricket when everything they have done before has been about white ball skills.
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So...do we opt out of test cricket then
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And how does a (from the age of 10) one day player reach test level exactly...?

comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 18 seconds ago
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 53 seconds ago
Jason Roy's problem is he's too tense...he spends the first five overs wondering why he's not out...(if he's still in) and he's too eager to make runs quick

This can be coached out
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Jason Roy's "problem" is that he bats at 5 in red ball cricket and has been asked to open in tests.
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So given the problem with him I've identified - can this be coached to adapt...?

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 0 seconds ago
comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 18 seconds ago
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 53 seconds ago
Jason Roy's problem is he's too tense...he spends the first five overs wondering why he's not out...(if he's still in) and he's too eager to make runs quick

This can be coached out
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Jason Roy's "problem" is that he bats at 5 in red ball cricket and has been asked to open in tests.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So given the problem with him I've identified - can this be coached to adapt...?
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I guess you meant White ball