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[FattusCattus]

Why wheel Bell in? Stick with the lads you've got on tour, show a little faith and work with them to look to the future - make them work for their place instead of bringing in people outside of the squad - particularly people who aren't close to selection.

Pop Buttler in and give him a go.
Pop Bairstow at 4 (in first innings?) and Duckett to 6 or 7
Move Ansari to 4 and tell him he's a batter and occasional bowler

any of these have to be better options than looking outside the squad.

[ppccopener]

What's Bell actually going to offer? The odd gormless face when he's totally clueless against spin? Buttler, Woakes and Ball in. Mohali should be a quicker wicket so unlikely to need 3 spinners.

yeah sounds like just 2 spinners for Mohali so there is a space. Woakes back maybe for Broad also.

I do think England want Butler in lower down as some sort of counter attacking option against the spinners.

so Ansari out, broad out, and maybe we will play Ball who has extra pace.

I'm not sure what England do with the number 4 spot.....I don't like chopping and changing the side.

have to agree with the cat (fattus) here if he stays in the team I wouldn't mind seeing him swap a place a bit lower down

but I do think Butler is in for the next match

and im not too upset with the result, we did battle into the 5th day and were on the wrong end of the toss.

im actually optimistic we can get a result in Mohali

[Buzz]

Just to confirm that Broad is out of at least the next test.

Duckett and Ansari likely to go too.
Buttler, Batty and Woakes to come in for the game on Saturday. Going to be incredibly tough for buttler.

Hopefully common sense will prevail and Bairstow will bat at 4.

One more thing, it is worth checking the pitch on this TMS website today. It would have been tough to secore 100 today on that pitch.

[six and out]

For anyone who hasn't seen it this is the tweet with the photos of the pitch i believe Buzz is talking about -

https://twitter.com/bbctms/status/800547218092457984

[ppccopener]

Just to confirm that Broad is out of at least the next test.

Duckett and Ansari likely to go too.
Buttler, Batty and Woakes to come in for the game on Saturday. Going to be incredibly tough for buttler.

Hopefully common sense will prevail and Bairstow will bat at 4.

One more thing, it is worth checking the pitch on this TMS website today. It would have been tough to secore 100 today on that pitch.

if you were picking the team Buzzmeister, would you take Duckett out of the firing line?

[alexhilly1492]

So what are we all thinking?

Cook
Hameed
Root
Bairstow
Ali
Stokes
Woakes
Buttler
Batty
Ball
Anderson

On this case and either bairstow at 4 I'd share the gloves between buttler and bairstow

Is buttler too low here? Can yjb handle batting at 4 and keeping? Tough on duckett for me and I'd give him nohali as last chance saloon, definitely want to see ball get a run out

[ppccopener]

you have left Rash out which none of us want!! 

haha

yes Ball should play. I have to say and I know the forum goes in a tailspin but I really do think England are a better side with Woakes in

[19reading87]

So what are we all thinking?

Cook
Hameed
Root
Bairstow
Ali
Stokes
Woakes
Buttler
Batty
Ball
Anderson

On this case and either bairstow at 4 I'd share the gloves between buttler and bairstow

Is buttler too low here? Can yjb handle batting at 4 and keeping? Tough on duckett for me and I'd give him nohali as last chance saloon, definitely want to see ball get a run out

Woakes above Butler?! Share the keeping gloves.... No Rashid?!?!

Go have a sit in the corner of a room on your own and think about what you have just done!!

[Mpt7]

we have a young inexperienced batter against the best bowlers in the world

therefore you have to give them support. - what that support is depends on the individual

Move Ali to 4 and keep bairstow at 5/6 were he has scored his runs in the last year

so you have

1. Cook
2.Hameed
3. Root
4. Ai
5. Bairstow
6. Stokes
7. Buttler
8. Woakes
9. Rashid
10 Broad/Ball/Ansari/batty dependant on pitch - swap 9/10 for LH/RH combo
11. Anderson

I feel for duckett but he has a technical fault that is consistently being exposed. He must decide if he can fix it in time for the next test or he needs more time to resolve it. just don't do a Balance and appear to change very little. However, balance of the teamwise, it would be better not to have ducket, as a left hander, in the team - all is forgiven Sam Billings!! ;-)

[six and out]

I think they have to take Duckett out of the firing line before his mind gets permanently fried and does lasting damage to what is clearly a very talented guy... and then perhaps bring him back in the one dayers where he will be/feel more comfortable.

as for the side - i don't actually think they have much choice -

Cook
Hameed
Root
Mo Ali
Bairstow (wk)
Stokes
Buttler
Woakes
Rashid
Ball or perhaps Batty if suddenly Mohali is an unusually turning pitch
Anderson

I said in a post a while ago that i thought they should have brought another batter on the tour and this is why. We now simply have no options.

[ppccopener]

I think they have to take Duckett out of the firing line before his mind gets permanently fried and does lasting damage to what is clearly a very talented guy... and then perhaps bring him back in the one dayers where he will be/feel more comfortable.

as for the side - i don't actually think they have much choice -

Cook
Hameed
Root
Mo Ali
Bairstow (wk)
Stokes
Buttler
Woakes
Rashid
Ball or perhaps Batty if suddenly Mohali is an unusually turning pitch
Anderson

I said in a post a while ago that i thought they should have brought another batter on the tour and this is why. We now simply have no options.

I think that is the side we are going to play with Ball in.

yes it's tough on Butler, he's had no chance to do anything on tour yet.

it's a gamble worth taking I think myself.

Duckett I would love to see stay in and fight it out but England will be looking at what is best for him..

[Bats_Entertainment]

If Ballance is no longer selectable, perhaps they out to send him home?

[smilley792]

If Ballance is no longer selectable, perhaps they out to send him home?

Knowing England, wouldn't be surprised if ballance gets the nod before buttler.

[csnew]

Is samit patel not an option?
He's already in bangladesh and got some runs in the bpl - yes it's t20 cricket.

Probably also a better spin option than ansari

[rickjames]

Glad I didn't set my alarm