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[six and out]

For me the more important tests are this summer at home. NZ and India both have genuinely excellent seam attacks and our batting unit will be tested. If you want to do anything as a test team you must win at home and these are going to be very tough matches heading into an away ashes!

[cricketbadger]

Foakes has to keep, always

Bess is rubbish let's be honest, would have been good time to throw Virdi in and see if he can at least land the ball

Indians play to their strength and we simply had no answer or idea to counter.

The point about Leach was a good one, bowled well but hasn't had the runs on the board to really attack with the field set

Broad was a real waste of time

[ppccopener]

If we are looking ahead to the summer and the next 12 months we won't need to consider a second spinner for a while, even in Australia it's goi to be pace dominated. Bess is going to need some work to do but he may not have any immediate chances anyway. We just about play a spinner in our summer conditions.

If Mo Ali knocks tests on the head which I think he will do, that's leaves Leach-who is our best anyway.

Woakes
Broad
Anderson
Curran
Archer (if he doesn't Jack it in) should see us thru the summer

It's the opening position, Sibley I think has to be given lots of time,he has the mentality to open.

Burns I'm not sure about. He's done ok.....

Crawley
Pope
Lawrence I would stick with, Stokes and Root will always be our best. Butler and Foakes can play in the same side I think.

Bairstow, that's it just White ball.

These young batters will get better, Lawrence has impressed and Crawley again, on potential, could be permanent.

Not all doom and gloo  from where I'm sitting.

[edge]

One positive being missed - Olly Stone had a fantastic test match, thought he was unlucky to only play one game.

[billyb]

We scored one hundred across 8 innings, which says it all.

It was a shame that some of our batsmen didn't show much sign of progression, but Lawrence did.

Looking forward to seeing us back in familiar conditions!

[ppccopener]

One positive being missed - Olly Stone had a fantastic test match, thought he was unlucky to only play one game.

Yes absolutely, only one test and unlucky not to play in the 4th.
Impressive.

[FattusCattus]

Opinions and arseholes - everyone has one, and they're usually a little bit different.

Lots wrong and a few little positives. I personally think the rotation thing was utterly shameful and de-railed / de-stabilised any progress. Ed Smith should be ashamed, and Root for going along with it.

As for the report card -

Sibley and Crawley must be persevered with - is there anyone more promising

Root must consider no3 for the good of the team moving forward

I really liked the look of Lawrence in this last teat, I think he showed more intent, innovation and positivity than most of the others

Mo should be first choice spinner for a bit longer

F*ck Buttlet, Foakes is the best keeper/batsman package

Admit it - you aren;t going to make a consistent test bowler out of Archer, the dream is over, he just can't do it. Invest in Wood and Stone and the next youngsters off the rank.


Don't react to losing to Indian in India and the likes of Rohit, Pant, Ashwin and Axar - many  teams would do the same - don;t cull the youngsters, learn from the experience and move on.

Images a young team moving forward, consisting of -

Sibley
Hameed
Crawley
Root
Lawrence
Stokes
Foakes
Moeen
Curran
Stone
Mahmood

[Jimbo]

The same Saqib Mahmood who has a higher FC average, strike rate and economy than Archer and who has never taken a first class five wickets haul at the age of 24?

[Bats_Entertainment]

I don't think a single forumite had Dan Lawrence in for this last Test. People should have a hard think about just how fickle they are.

I was going to ask where Archer was disappearing to?

[Bats_Entertainment]

And heaven help us if Moeen Ali is not only the best spinner we have now (he isn't)!, but the best we can expect in the near future.

[Jimbo]

And heaven help us if Moeen Ali is not only the best spinner we have now, but the best we can expect in the near future.

Leach is clearly a superior spinner and looked back to his best this series after a pretty tough time. Would have him pencilled in for every Test going forward.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Leach is clearly a superior spinner and looked back to his best this series after a pretty tough time. Would have him pencilled in for every Test going forward.

Me too.

[FattusCattus]

The same Saqib Mahmood who has a higher FC average, strike rate and economy than Archer and who has never taken a first class five wickets haul at the age of 24?

Figures early on aren't always an indicator of future test greatness - Trescothick, Flintoff and Vaughan are testament to that.

[FattusCattus]

I was going to ask where Archer was disappearing to?

It's beginning to look like he is another Wood 'the early years'

[Bats_Entertainment]

Figures early on aren't always an indicator of future test greatness - Trescothick, Flintoff and Vaughan are testament to that.

Nevertheless,  I'm predicting Saqib Mahmood won't be a Test great.