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[uknsaunders]

If I was Bayliss I would be telling Cook/ECB  "You've had 14 tests doing it your way and it's still a f**king joke our top 3, let me pick who I want". Any bets on KP getting a spot in the World T20 squad as a trial?

[ProCricketer1982]

If I was Bayliss I would be telling Cook/ECB  "You've had 14 tests doing it your way and it's still a f**king joke our top 3, let me pick who I want". Any bets on KP getting a spot in the World T20 squad as a trial?

That would take bottle, afraid anyone conforming to the ecb just doesn't have that in them. Whipped

[Seniorplayer]

The problem with Hales is as a test match opener he gives the bowlers to many chances.

[ppccopener]

Root is an opener and opened for Yorkshire. He scored nearly 200 odd against Australia opening and when was the last time somebody other than Cook did that?. England's reluctance to bat him at 3 seems bordering on the bizarre.  He's virtually opening as it is, thanks to Lyth/Hales and co. Compton does at least hang around and knock some shine off. He was also Cooks most successful opening partner. Why not open with him. Root isn't an Ian Bell, a middle order player getting pushed up the order. He's an opener getting pushed down to 1st drop. He surely would average more than 30?

KP 4, Bell in his rightful place at 5. Loads of experience and ability. Look at that, everyone batting in a place they are best suited and Root has the talent to cope with 3. Sometimes the obvious solutions are the best.

If Rooooooot is an opener, opens for Yorkshire etc etc etc, why didn't he go to the England management when Lyth was dropped and stick his hand up to do the job.If he naturally fits that position why not  bang down Bayliss's and Cooks door and insist to open, that way the middle order players could play in their natural postitions?

If Joe Root is that good the lowest he should be is Number 3. He's a bottle job, love to hate Ricky Pointing but HE WAS RIGHT 

[edge]

Root had one big knock opening against Australia yes, but after getting dropped very early. Yeah he'd probably carry on averaging 35ish like he did opening before, but if he's averaging 55 at 4 then he can stay at 4!

3 is the problem position for me, Root was no good there, Bell will score plenty and be in contention for a place again I'm sure but he's never cut it at 3, Ballance's future if he has one is clearly competing with Taylor for the 5 slot. Taylor deserves a run and will do well with time, particularly with Asian tours coming up next winter. With regards to opening, sooner or later we'll just have to realise that we haven't got anyone at present who's going to average 45 opening the batting and just let whoever we think is best suited get on with it and try to improve them with experience. Don't see any other test countries with two gun openers at present anyway. Compton suits 3 well for England I think, his battle is just with the media and his insecurities. Bat like he did in the first test and he'll do fine.

Keeper as well, Bairstow is smashing it at 7 (still don't think he's good enough to bat higher) but by the end of the series even the frustration of the rest of the team with his catching was getting obvious. Can't carry on putting that many chances down.

[uknsaunders]

Don't buy the "let's leave root at 4 because it works" logic. Why can't he score runs at 3? If he averages 50 odd at 3 then surely the averages of the middle order batsman a might well increase. Steve Smith did 3 and 4, Kane Williamson doesn't do a bad job at 3 either. Typical English logic, let's not change things in case it makes it worse, rather than better.

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[edge]

Williamson's always batted at 3 though, and Smith's just moved back to 4 because he thinks he's better there. Root might well end up there, but the difference between seeing him bat opening/3 for England and in the middle order is unbelievable, that's why he'll stay at 4 where he's still improving. Remember he's been tried up the order and wasn't that good!

[alexhilly1492]

Cook* (best opener we have)
Hales (I feel he needs a proper go not a series here series there)
Ballance (averaging nearly 50 at 3)
Root (no one will disagree)
Taylor (same as hales and is a match winner on his day)
Stokes (same as root)
Bairstow (batted his way into the keepers role and no worse than buttler)
Ali (cant think of a better spinner also bats)
Wood (makes things happen, can also contain)
Broad (to open and those spells)
Finn (englands best bowler of the winter)

then have Anderson after a rest in the side for wood as he looked worn out this series minus one spell at centurian after ab had wound him up

[northernboy1987]

Cook* (best opener we have)
Hales (I feel he needs a proper go not a series here series there)
Ballance (averaging nearly 50 at 3)
Root (no one will disagree)
Taylor (same as hales and is a match winner on his day)
Stokes (same as root)
Bairstow (batted his way into the keepers role and no worse than buttler)
Ali (cant think of a better spinner also bats)
Wood (makes things happen, can also contain)
Broad (to open and those spells)
Finn (englands best bowler of the winter)

then have Anderson after a rest in the side for wood as he looked worn out this series minus one spell at centurian after ab had wound him up

I like your line up but I would play Anderson at home in the summer and rest him for the sub continent games and play Rashid.

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[alexhilly1492]

I only said no jimmy as he seemed really off this series but I agree at home hes a different animal so to speak

[Aussie In England]

I like your line up but I would play Anderson at home in the summer and rest him for the sub continent games and play Rashid.

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Kohli and co gonna be licking their chops at the prospect of facing Rashid...

[northernboy1987]

Kohli and co gonna be licking their chops at the prospect of facing Rashid...

He blew hot and cold in the UAE but I think he's probably as good as we've got.

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[northernboy1987]

Anyways Kohli will have nicked off to Broad long before Rashid starts his spell

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[Manormanic]

Its interesting how little some of the supposed experts on here seem to know about the players they are talking up!

Lets start with Root.  Its a misnomer to say that he was a specialist opener at Yorkshire.  He batted there for a while, yes, but that was more to do with it being the first vacancy that came up in the side than any particular desire on his part (the debutant was hardly going to go past McGrath, Gale, Jacques, Bairstow etc).  Once he became a solid first choice...apart from two games at the start of the 2013 season, he has not opened for Yorkshire in any form of cricket since - we had a specialist (Lees) and a manufactured guy in peak form (Lyth).
Its a similar problem to Balance - who has been cast as a top three bat when he is naturally suited to 5/6

Should he go up the order now?  I'd say no - we're blessed with guys who should bat 5/6/7 (Bairstow, Stokes, Taylor, Balance, Buttler, Vince) and weak in the top four - if he is making runs at four, leave him there. 

Should Hales, Compton or Taylor be dropped?  Whilst I don't believe that Hales is the answer to the opening problem, Compton looks better at three and neither should be easily discarded - much as Lyth is the better player, he proved that you can drop players way too soon.  Taylor is vulnerable - not because he doesn't deserve a few more games, but because you get the feeling that Bairstow is coming up short as a keeper.  If Buttler starts the year well, he may come back, and YJB is much the better bet at five.

[dannyhall04]

Lets start with Root.  Its a misnomer to say that he was a specialist opener at Yorkshire

He's been an opening batsman all his life, juniors through Collegiate through Yorkshire age groups.

Saying that, I'd leave him at four.

How about Cook, Lyth, Compton, Root, Ballance, Stokes, Bairstow, Rashid, Broad, Finn, Anderson...