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[Gelds]

England paid the price for not getting enough runs in the first innings. 400 is a bare minimum in India and we were behind the eight ball from day one. Though the bowlers stuck at it well, especially Stokes and Rashid.
I think India's seamers have proved more threatening than England's as they are skiddy bowlers, rather than hit the deck. This is where Wood is badly missed by England on flatter wickets.
Moving forward I think England will call up Jennings as a replacement for the unlucky Hameed, and we will see Broad back in the side for Batty if fit.

[Manormanic]

Its a difficult balance really - everyone fit, we have the resources to play seven batsmen, two all rounders and six bowlers.

Even then, we have been two top five batsmen light for some time now.  And everyone isn't fit.  So replacements are probably required, as is a rethink about the balance of the side.

I wouldn't risk Broad, so I reckon we have two "injury" replacements required, minumum,  and I would be brave and bring three even if Woakes and Zafar are a possibility for the last game, using the argument that if it isn't working there is no harm making changes.  All that we joked about Australia "doing a 90s England" there is something to be said for action.

So, in terms of certainties, we have:

Cook
Root
Ali
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler (be harsh to drop him and he showed something first time round)
Rashid
Anderson

In the squad, we also have Ballance, Duckett, Ball and Finn.

We certainly need someone to open, and I would like to see one more top order player brought over.  Contenders? Jennings, Gubbins, Bell-Drummond, Lyth, Robson, Westley, Stoneman, Borthwick, Hales, Roy, Billings with the bat.  If we bring another bowler, I would look at either Bresnan, a good all round option who bowls reverse and cut well, or take a punt on Sam Curran - it'd be an experience for him if nowt else.

What would I do?  At the risk of critique, my side would be:

Cook
Westley
Root
Bairstow
Roy
Stokes
Ali
Buttler
Rashid
Anderson
Ball

I am not saying that Roy and Westley are the best players - long term I'm pro-Duckett - but the former is a good attacking option and a practical dead rubber is as good a chance as any to see how he suits the five day game.  Westley....it'll be intriguing to see him kn division one next year, but his decent off spin adds another bowling option and covers for the loss of a notional bowling resource.

[Seniorplayer]

All this talk of picking too many bowlers is a nonsense. We had a specialist batsman at 7! The top order simply didn't score enough runs in the first innings

Batty was in the side because they  thought the wicket would turn  on day five and weren't confident how Rashid would bowl.
After the first  innings batting England were always chasing the game.
I think they will look at the wicket in Mumbai and if they feel it will spin now Rasid has shown that he can do the job play him and Moen and. Play the extra batsman even if it they think the wicket will seam

[CrickFreak]

The only way England can hide bowling deficiencies is by having top order score big. Cook and Root have to do lot better, the only ones skilled enough to bat at the moment. Then ali, Stokes etc can chip in to that's the score to 400+.
Once you have 400+, the opposition bats under pressure and even ordinary bowlers (rashid and company) will look impressive. Learn from first test. Chopping and changing doesn't help mid series.

[smilley792]

I personally don't think we need more than 5 bowlers ever. So 3 seamers and two spinners the way to go. If (No Swearing Please) hits the fan bowl root.

I'd rather have root bowl ten overs an innings and a proper batsmen in there  than batty/ansari bowling ten and batting 9/10 or 11.


So if we say our bowlers are Anderson, stokes, ball,  rashid and Ali. And bairstow root and cook are definates. That leaves 3 spots.


I don't think another opener is the solition.... so let root do that.


My side

Cook
Root
Ali
Bairstow
Duckett
Stokes
Buttler
Billings
Rashid
Anderson
Ball


Is ducket mentally shot? Maybe. But give the lad another go. Keep him in the middle order and tell him you back him!
Keep buttler in there as well, if bairstow is shagged he could stump(extreme circumstances only on jobs call) and did okay Ish. Very Ish.

Billings in as to me he is our best spin player(albeit in the shorter formats) and Ashwin is our biggest threat!!


I expect no one to agree with me. Flame suit on.

[Johnny]

@smilley792 as much as that all makes sense I can't help but feel picking someone to only bat at 8 is utterly village

[Bats_Entertainment]

@smilley792 picking someone to only bat at 8 is utterly village

Agree.

[smilley792]

@smilley792 as much as that all makes sense I can't help but feel picking someone to only bat at 8 is utterly village

But we are village.......

[smilley792]

@smilley792 as much as that all makes sense I can't help but feel picking someone to only bat at 8 is utterly village

Proper answer to that.

We don't need a sixth bowler! Ever. And with Ali and stokes both bowlers and batting in the top 6, what else do you do? Our batting is so so poor at moment.

So You either have a specialist number 8, drop stokes or Ali to 8, or carry an extra bowler just for the laugh.

[t2ylo]

In short - this is what happens when u do not take your best spinners to India.
The volume of cricket coming thick & fast makes it a squad game like never before.
Batsmen from Cook Hameed Hales Root Roy Billings Jennings & Duckett
All Rounders from Stokes Ali Bairstow Buttler Willey & Woakes
Bowlers from Jimmy, Broad, Wood, Rashid, Ball & Leach

That would be my squad - cannot see how Batty/Finn/Ballance get in ahead of any of the above...
Morgan will be ODI skipper till post Champions Trophy

Missed a big trick not having a decent left arm orthodox a la Panesar

If all were fit I think you only need to decide...
How many spinners?
Who bats 3 & 5 because Root must bat 4!!!

[Buzz]

Hales has had the call apparently.









_{i may have made that up, but watch it happen.}

[Tailendfielder]

I would do the opposite to most.

Bringing a guy up on debut in India in a test series we have no hope of winning when we know we will start our next series with Hameed anyway is pretty harsh on a young guy who will have played little cricket in the last month or two.

I'd open with a Bell for two tests or say to Duckett, go on have another pop. Like a Carberry type selection a few years ago, which always felt like a stop gap for Robson after they convinced him to declare for England.

Some just mentioned Hales, that is just as good.

[uknsaunders]

Hales has had the call apparently.









_{i may have made that up, but watch it happen.}

What to find Samits phone number?

I'd be more convinced by the Tubby pie chucker who can at least score some runs in India,  unlike most of the other options. Ansari has made Samit look a world class spin option so far.

[ppccopener]

Samit Patel is a very decent cricketer. I don't care if he is a bit round.

I grew up watching cricket in the 80 s God knows we had loads of barrel chested players back then !   

[Seniorplayer]

I personally don't think we need more than 5 bowlers ever. So 3 seamers and two spinners the way to go. If (No Swearing Please) hits the fan bowl root.

I'd rather have root bowl ten overs an innings and a proper batsmen in there  than batty/ansari bowling ten and batting 9/10 or 11.


So if we say our bowlers are Anderson, stokes, ball,  rashid and Ali. And bairstow root and cook are definates. That leaves 3 spots.


I don't think another opener is the solition.... so let root do that.


My side

Cook
Root
Ali
Bairstow
Duckett
Stokes
Buttler
Billings
Rashid
Anderson
Ball


Is ducket mentally shot? Maybe. But give the lad another go. Keep him in the middle order and tell him you back him!
Keep buttler in there as well, if bairstow is shagged he could stump(extreme circumstances only on jobs call) and did okay Ish. Very Ish.

Billings in as to me he is our best spin player(albeit in the shorter formats) and Ashwin is our biggest threat!!


I expect no one to agree with me. Flame suit on.

Decent team but  would bring in a speclalist   opener  for Duckett and bat Moen at eight