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I dare say England could have had a better application in both innings - But IMO the damage was done by Rohit in the 1st innings - By attacking us from the outset he made the difference - take out his 161 and India barely scored 160 in the 1st innings, so that would have been a more even contest - Total credit to Rohit for his cavalier attitude - England could/should have allowed 1 or 2 early batsman to try a similar approach - As I said earlier, on such a wicket, better to be out for 30-50, after 50 balls, being positive, than prodding and hoping and after 50 balls only have 5 on the board and then you are out
I'm surprised Rohit did not get MOM - He set the platform that everything else followed - As I said without him India's 1st innings was around 160 - Let's see how good Ashwin and Axar would have been with a small score to defend - They would have still won by a big margin without Ashwn's 100 - So IMO Rohit should have been MOM
Ive put more eye drops in during this test.
I do think it’s time to bring in some future new blood.
West Ham have been doing well so all is good .
1. Hi xxxxxxx
England did very well today to take the four remaining Indian wickets for only 29 runs. If you take away Rohit Sharma's score, the rest of the Indian batsmen mustered only 168 runs between them. That is a plus for the England bowlers, bearing in mind that Stokes didn't bowl to take some pressure off tired spinning fingers.
I was beginning to think that India would bat England out of this test, but they didn't by getting bowled out for 329. It is a pity that the openers aren't giving England the platform of a good start to build on. Lawrence has to come in and do the job of an opener. I am not sure that he is even an effective No. 3 batsman, much less an opener.
This match isn't over yet. India could get bowled out with a lead of around 300 runs. However, I think England would struggle to score anything near 300 to win the match on this wicket. Possible, but unlikely, although stranger things have happened.
As I expected, too many batsmen, on both sides, were making mistakes, and got themselves out when playing the orthodox sweep shot. Even the apparently in-form Rohit Sharma made some mistakes playing it. I was happy to see that not many unorthodox reverse sweep shots were played.
To play spin bowling with a horizontal bat, especially on this wicket, is asking for trouble with a top edge, glove, or an lbw decision, if the ball pops up more than expected. A straight bat would counter varying heights of bounce, although an edge cannot be discounted.
The Indian bowlers were confident in their ability to bowl line and length. They were able to have vultures gathered around the bat to inhibit stroke-play and gobble up catches. It seemed that the England batsmen were unable to hit the ball away from the middle square. Case in point was when Lawrence meekly surrendered his wicket to the last ball before lunch after doing the hard work in defying the Indian spinners for nearly two hours.
Root falling to a sweep shot resulted in him not being there to steady the innings. At the time, I was beginning to think that the follow-on would not be saved.
I don't know about the playing surfaces of the Ahmedabad ground, and whether they are conducive to pace, or spin. The Indian groundsmen are unlikely to prepare a green-top to aid the pace bowlers.
No need to panic. There is still a lot to play for, and for the batsmen to gain experience of spin bowling in adverse conditions. Take some positives from this test and move on.
Stay safe.
Kind Regards
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2. Hello xxxxxxx
The fast bowlers were used as "shine-removers" in this match.
If Olly Stone can remain fit, I think his place in the England side is secure for the Australia series, although Mark Wood may be called up for the India Third Test.
Had it not been for the England first innings batting collapse, India would not be running away with this second test. India were bowled out for 286 in their second innings - a modest score. Credit must go to the England bowlers.
I often wonder why a Night Watchman is used. In most matches they get out quickly and offer no protection to the incoming top order batsmen. Root still had to bat out the remaining few overs whilst sacrificing Leach in the process.
Ashwin showed that with determination it is possible for the England batsmen to make big scores. Three batsmen would need to hit centuries to win, or save the match.
With such a big total to get, India would set attacking fields around the bat, in the morning, to inhibit stroke play, and quick scoring. It would be interesting to see what happens if England can score a further 250 runs for the loss of 5 wickets to get to 300 by close of play tomorrow. That would put the cat among the pigeons. Kohli would have to remove his close catchers.
I hope England can put up a batting resistance. On current evidence, on this wicket, it seems a daunting prospect.
Stay safe.
Kind Regards
There's variable bounce and variable bounce. I wouldn't shrug off Sabina Park in 1998 as variable bounce and I'm not here.
Many do finish early. In these days when tours are rapid-fire affairs and warm-up games are minimal in order to fit the limited overs shite in, a number of sides are quite undercooked when they get out onto a Test pitch and simply can't hack it. Witness the Sri Lankans and their hapless batting at times this winter.
Take the India tour to Australia. Two three-day games, 5 ODIs, 3 T20s before the Test series. India were bowled out for 36 in the First Test. Now some have said that there were plenty of games before the Tests. In the final T20, only Kohli played in the First Test. The First ODI game, 6 of the 11 played in the Test series (although not all at once).
Compare that to the 1989 Australia tour to England. The first Test was June 8th. Before that you had the following:
- Australians v League Cricket Conference XI at Dartmouth, 5 May 1989
- Australians v Duchess of Norfolk's XI at Arundel, 7 May 1989
- Sussex v Australians at Hove, 9 May 1989
- Marylebone Cricket Club v Australians at Lord's, 11 May 1989
- Worcestershire v Australians at Worcester, 13–14 May 1989
- Somerset v Australians at Taunton, 17–19 May 1989
- Middlesex v Australians at Lord's, 20–22 May 1989
- Yorkshire v Australians at Leeds, 23 May 1989
3x ODI games 25th to 29th May.31st May to 2nd June - Warwickshire versus Australia
That's a level of acclimatization you don't see on any tour now! The current Covid situation makes it even harder to gain meaningful match practice beforehand.
Having played and adored cricket my whole life, I can not understand how a professional cricketer can be so inconsistent with the ball. As a professional bowler, you would have thought landing it on a decent line and length consistently should come naturally. This is not an attack on Moeen Ali, but Bess too, and all spinners since Swann retired. There must be a spinner on the first class circuit who bowls consistent line and length, or doesn't bowl the release ball once an over. The magic tricks can be developed. These guys gave been bowling spin for years, practicing in the nets day in day out to hone their skills.
How can they be so inconsistent?
This is why Leach is the best spinner - he is the most consistent, by far.
I wish Moeen Ali well, but his International career ended when he got dropped during the world cup group stages. A very talented player and elegant batsman when at his best but due to being mis-managed, shuffled, playing in too many roles (and subsequently not knowing his role or ever having a definitive role) he has always been a bit-part player showing glimpes of brilliance.
This England team are a world class spinner short of being a world class team.
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https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/india-v-england-2020-21-spurned-moeen-ali-begins-the-long-kiss-goodnight-after-choosing-to-leave-india-tour-1252037
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-india-2008-09-345666/india-vs-australia-4th-test-345672/full-scorecard