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[ppccopener]

Has anyone noticed how rather than actively looking to hit the ball, Jennings simply holds his bat roughly where he thinks the ball is going, and then just stands still and waits to see if the ball hits it? Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.

Forget footwork, balance, alignment, interception points, any of that. This has got to be the worst defensive technique I have ever seen from a professional player.

yes.. it looks like his weight is not going into the ball, his stance is similar to Trescothick, but with minimal foot movement he was back or forward and not away from the ball.

it seems a basic fault which was the same the first time he played

[SLA]

Cannot wait to hear the bland platitudes / excuses / rationales put forward by the robotic England players and coaching team.

I'm hoping it's something along the lines of 'simply not good enough', 'need to look at our techniques' and an honest appraisal of how poor we were.

Can't believe how many doubts there are over a single line up:

Cook -      don't think he;s currently test standard
Jennings - technical issues everywhere
Root -       not a natural captain, not enjoying no3, prone to many batting brainfarts
Pope -      been thrown to the Lions somewhat, looks better suited to middle order dashing
Rashid -   Not going to offer a captain any control as a sole spinner, don;t think he gives the Indians any sleepless nights
Broad -    Apart from the (very) occasional 'wunderspell' seems to be in denial about not being able to pitch it up enough

Don't forget:

Buttler: nice lad, but what is his role? We already have a surfeit of counter-attacking lower middle order batsmen
Woakes: pace drops dramatically from one spell to the next, ineffective anywhere but in English conditions.
Stokes: only seems capable/interested in bowling endless bouncers, not a top 6 test batsman, and a man of his temper and violent tendencies must be a very negative and disruptive presence in the dressing room. No longer wants to field at slip.

England lineup:

1: vacant
2: vacant
3: vacant
4: vacant
5: Root
6: Bairstow (currently injured)
7: vacant
8: vacant
9: vacant
10: vacant
11: Anderson (close to retirement)

[SLA]

yes.. it looks like his weight is not going into the ball, his stance is similar to Trescothick, but with minimal foot movement he was back or forward and not away from the ball.

it seems a basic fault which was the same the first time he played

Indeed. He looked crap against South Africa last year, and absolutely nothing has changed. Someone needs to tell him that even when playing defensively with soft hands, you still need to move the bat to intercept the ball, rather than just dangle it next to you like a plumb line. He gives the impression he is batting with his eyes shut.

Of course none of the geniuses in the sky commentary box (number of coaching qualification between them =0) have apparently noticed this.

[stevat]

yes.. it looks like his weight is not going into the ball, his stance is similar to Trescothick, but with minimal foot movement he was back or forward and not away from the ball.

it seems a basic fault which was the same the first time he played

To be fair to him though, when he hits the ball he's hitting it hard enough.  At Test quick pace all you've got to do is caress the ball in the right direction, don't really need to hit it hard - in fact I'd argue you're better off playing with a straight bat and in good shape rather than trying to hit it at all - especially given they were trying to block out two days to save a Test.  The playing of the ball away from his body, i.e. getting his head over the ball, and judging of length seems to be his big issue.

One thing I noticed watching him bat yesterday, is related to power I suppose (as I think staying side on to the ball allows you to generate natural power with timing), it seems he gets squared up a lot and is turning his hips and left shoulder towards the ball.

[FattusCattus]

Right, I know I'm going to get shouted down, but i don;t care. I wonder if we are getting into a similar situation that required a Brearley recall all those years ago?

An honest county captain, with decent tactical skills and good, strong man-management, maybe perhaps a little below test standard but a real trier.

He slots into the side at 4 together with whoever is the most in-form right-handed opening batsman of the moment coming in for Jennings.

Pope to 5 for the rest of the series

YJB at 6 (if fit) and Stokes at 7 - both are told that is where they are batting and that is their job for the England team, no player gets to dictate his batting position

Curran is brought back in, as one for the future and a bringer of variety (plus he tries to pitch the f*cking thing up!)

Dependant on the pitch, make a decision between Woakes / Broad / a bouncy bugger like Overton

[edge]

Dropping Buttler Brucey? Bold move!

[jamielsn15]

If Cook is dropped/rested whatever they like to call it, it effectively ends his career. Next summer is the Ashes and he is Starc's bunny. So resting won't somehow make him score runs again

Resting him may be the refreshment he needs. He's not scoring runs now and he's about to be a dad again. Give him the winter off, tell him he may not get back in, as has always been the case. I think we all know that the probability he's still in the top two of openers come May 2019 is very high.  Then its the ashes in England. If he's available, he plays.

[LateBloomer]

Im surprised anyone is giving any sort of acknowledgement to the theories of @SLA or @Mister Le Chiffre to be honest. One spouts constant nonsense and the other is @Gerry SA on a French passport. They might even have crossed paths somewhere along the 'South African boxing/ England supporter/ French diplomat/ Cambridge club without a name and no one owns a bat' scene

The comment about Ben Stokes is the latest in a long line of tripe. Easily worth his place in the England team with bat or ball (almost for his fielding aswell!) and he is very much loved by his international teammates. But dont let the truth get in the way of your need to seek attention

[FattusCattus]

Dropping Buttler Brucey? Bold move!

Yep - nice ton and all that yesterday, but he doesn't add the steady / experienced bit that we need, plus he can earn his living in the limited stuff.

He's not a top 3 batter, we won't drop Root or YJB, we shouldn't drop Pope and Buttler doesn't bowl.

ergo - he's the one to go in the current circumstances.

[mo_town]

Interesting stat from the test...all the Indian seamers were on avg quicker than their england counterparts...even Hardik Pandya was quicker than Anderson, Broad, Woakes, Stokes! Unbelievable!

England needs pace in their attack, if anyone needs to be dropped, it is Broad.

[stevat]

In form right handed opener at the moment is probably Mitchell at Worcs.  Not sure I would drop Buttler mind, good low middle order bat, and apparently a good presence in the dressing room.  Pope is obviously ideal for that role, but less experienced at the moment. 

[edge]

Yep - nice ton and all that yesterday, but he doesn't add the steady / experienced bit that we need, plus he can earn his living in the limited stuff.

He's not a top 3 batter, we won't drop Root or YJB, we shouldn't drop Pope and Buttler doesn't bowl.

ergo - he's the one to go in the current circumstances.

I suppose I see the logic but would have to disagree! On three points - if they're competing for one spot in the team I don't see how you could keep Pope over Buttler, Buttler's international class is well proven and now he's added a test ton under pressure to that whereas Pope is very unproven/inexperienced and has plenty of time to come again. Two, if we're looking for a new captain then Buttler is the obvious candidate, especially as there is no Brearley figure from the counties at the moment - top of my head Alex Wakeley and Vince are the only English skippers who've been in post longer than a season and a half! Three, Bairstow isn't going to be keeping any time soon so we need Buttler to take the gloves.

[rickjames]

Has Keaton Jennings been nuked yet?

[SLA]

I suppose I see the logic but would have to disagree! On three points - if they're competing for one spot in the team I don't see how you could keep Pope over Buttler, Buttler's international class is well proven and now he's added a test ton under pressure to that whereas Pope is very unproven/inexperienced and has plenty of time to come again. Two, if we're looking for a new captain then Buttler is the obvious candidate, especially as there is no Brearley figure from the counties at the moment - top of my head Alex Wakeley and Vince are the only English skippers who've been in post longer than a season and a half! Three, Bairstow isn't going to be keeping any time soon so we need Buttler to take the gloves.

It was a nice ton, but "under pressure"? The game was already lost, they were never realistically going to bat 2 days, so it was effectively a net. It was probably the least-pressure situation imaginable.

[Manormanic]

My thoughts on selection for the rest of the Summer and winter, for what they're worth...

If we take Ed Smith's horses for courses and form will be considered, Moeen has to come back in and - bearing in mind he is one of our best players of spin - might as well bat three for the next eight tests (before being considered for the number eight spot against the Aussies).  Rashid has done okay, and will play the winter, but misses the next two.  Woakes and Broad play one test each. That would allow Root and Pope to move to their best positions and give us as basis of:

Opener 1
Opener 2
Ali
Root
Bairstow
Pope
Stokes
Buttler (with the gloves to protect YJB)
Curran
Broad/Woakes
Anderson

Openers is tricky - I would rest Cook a game due to impending fatherhood - this has the added psychological benefit of breaking the streak whilst allowing him to rotate immediately back in.  For Ageas I would go Jennings and Burns, then see who to leave out.

This winter in Sri Lanka needs a different line up, and I would see us using a pinch hitter as a benefit, as well as a way to balance the side.  Liam Livingstone was our best bat there for the A side, and is an extra spin option, so... Perhaps:

Cook
Buttler
Ali
Root
Bairstow
Livingstone/Pope
Stokes
Rashid
Curran
Leach
Anderson