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[SD]

Winning a game of football is a means to an end be it a league or Cup. I guess until the world test championship catches the imagination, test series are the end in themselves. 

I would have liked to have had a full squad available for the whole of this tour.  Realistically though for me this ranks behind the Ashes, T20 world Cup and the English summer. 

[ppccopener]

A place in the World Test Championship final is in place. So this series was much more important then Ashes. Would you rather win the first WTC or Ashes.
WTC is going to be equivalent to ODI World Cup or more.

I do agree sometimes the rotation does seem less than perfect but with Covid and the sheer amount of cricket in the next 12 months I can't see they have any options other than to rotate players,mainly the bowlers...

Players like Anderson and probably broad don't want to be rotated but they are towards the end of their careers and so far have been pretty much injury free. Anderson is 38 and if he does get an Ashes place it would be remarkable testament to his physical fitness and maybe......down to rotation thru this year. Similar with Wood who has been injury prone and seems to be getting less so in the last 12 months.

The WTC is nowhere near as important as an ODI trophy or an Ashes away win. They are both rare but I've been supporting England since about 1980 and I didn't think we would win the WC in my lifetime 

[ProCricketer1982]

A place in the World Test Championship final is in place. So this series was much more important then Ashes. Would you rather win the first WTC or Ashes.
WTC is going to be equivalent to ODI World Cup or more.

Ashes every time

WTC means nothing

[six and out]

Sky just announced they are showing the White ball stuff.

'Sky Sports to show England's white-ball series in India'

http://www.skysports.com/share/12221031

[19reading87]

So the rumours are Burns and Lawrence dropped for Crawley and Bairstow

[Jimbo]

So the rumours are Burns and Lawrence dropped for Crawley and Bairstow

Both sensible changes I think, Burns and Lawrence have struggled so you're not losing anything by giving them some time off. Hopefully gives Lawrence some time to go away and work on his game as Pope did after his introduction to tests.

[SD]

So the rumours are Burns and Lawrence dropped for Crawley and Bairstow

Both fairly straightforward decisions for me.  Lawrence is a fairly obvious one given he only played the first two tests because of injury to Crawley and hasn't made a score to keep his place.  Burns is on a retched run of form and falling to Royston Chase in 4 of his 5 innings last summer was a fair indication of his game against spin.  Crawley and Bairstow both look more composed players of spin

[alexhilly1492]

Sibley
Crawley
Bairstow
Root
Stokes
Pope
Foakes
Archer
Leach
Broad
Anderson

[rickjames]

I feel like 3 seamers and Leach can only end badly, unless Root and Stokes are going to churn out a lot more than they already have...

[csnew]

Good toss to win! Should keep the pitch moaners slightly more quiet
Not sure about England playing only one spinner, root might have to bowl quite a bit

I see this pink SG ball going soft pretty quickly so unlikely turn as much

[Jimbo]

Good toss to win! Should keep the pitch moaners slightly more quiet
Not sure about England playing only one spinner, root might have to bowl quite a bit

I see this pink SG ball going soft pretty quickly so unlikely turn as much

Root seemed to think in his pre match interview that the ball was staying hard for longer than the red ball, fingers crossed.

[alba caerulea]

Sibley
Crawley
Bairstow
Root
Stokes
Pope
Foakes
Archer
Leach
Wood
Anderson

Sibley
Crawley
Bairstow
Root
Stokes
Pope
Foakes
Archer
Leach
Broad
Anderson

Almost got it right. Broad over Wood, lets hope the pink ball moves in India! Feel a bit for Bess, the background noise has made him unpickable but we will miss a second spinner.

Won the toss which is very handy

[edge]

I do not like the look of this side much. 90s tail and 4 seamers in India

[rickjames]

Well, some interesting bounce on offer

[alba caerulea]

I do not like the look of this side much. 90s tail and 4 seamers in India

Giddins
Tufnell
Fraser
Mullally