Fifth Test: India v England, 16-20 Dec (Chennai)

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cricinfo has Dawson for Anderson, and Broad for Woakes, if fit.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I get a feeling he is not interested. The series is lost, he has to work hard for little reward and doesn't help his avg. I think this wicket will help fast bowlers as its damp, so he might be missing out here.

Cook says Anderson is disappointed by the decision. This really sounds a bit like he's been dropped.

He won't play again until July.

[meninblue]

Chennai still feeling after effects of cyclone.

[hopeforthebest]

I know Woakes has not taken many wickets and in the last test Cook seemed to forget he was in the team but it would be a big set back for him if Jake Ball is preferred ahead of him, on a pitch that might be the most friendly to pace that England have encountered.

[dan08]

Cricinfo has Dawson for Anderson, and Broad for Woakes, if fit.

Dawson?!

[Arthur Crabtree]

Crazy maybe, but not Sydney 2014 crazy.

Where is our Scott Borthwick? Our Boyd Rankin?

[Arthur Crabtree]

I know Woakes has not taken many wickets and in the last test Cook seemed to forget he was in the team but it would be a big set back for him if Jake Ball is preferred ahead of him, on a pitch that might be the most friendly to pace that England have encountered.

If it helps pace, I bet it helps everything else more.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Crazy maybe, but not Sydney 2014 crazy.

Where is our Scott Borthwick? Our Boyd Rankin?

They do at least have their Gary Ballance.

[alfie]

Must be some doubt whether Anderson will make it to the next Ashes series. Could be Broad. Woakes, Stokes and Ball or Wood? Anderson is out with war and tear but has hardly been overbowled in India, certainly by his career standards.

He'll be 35 then. Courtney Walsh played until he was 38, but 35 is still pretty elderly for a Test cricketer these days especially a bowler.

Wear and tear apart, it's probably about right to say there's been little decline in quality (previous point about defensiveness noted). He's had a disappointing tour of India, but that has been in line with seamers generally. He was as good as ever last summer. He didn't do that well in SA last winter, but again, he wasn't 100% fit. In UAE he was England's best bowler but mostly because he bowled dry.

This seems to be another case of Anderson being told he's not fit, when he says he is. It happened last summer and the press were miffed. This time they are likely to shrug their shoulders. Sensible managememnt or the beginning of the end?

Very sensible management , I think. Aging fast bowlers are at more risk of copping a serious (even career ending) injury when they are anything less than 100% - as shown in Australia recently when Steyn came back (too early?) from an injury and suffered a very nasty one which is going to be hard to come back from...
If it was 1-1 ; maybe you'd risk him. But a dead rubber ?

As to the future for Jimmy , who knows ? Think he should be fine for the summer , having enjoyed good rest and presumably some good county game warmups. But whether he makes Australia - and how effective he'll be if he does - is impossible to predict at this time.
Ask again in September ?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Sunny in Chennai. No one seems to know what will happen at the toss, but the pitch is damp. Might be bowl first.

Might we get a sticky dog!?

[Arthur Crabtree]

My hunch is England will put India in, and the pitch will be as flat as a pancake, and India will declare on day three as the surface turns into dust.

[rich1uk]

reading the reports the ideal scenario might be bowl first, then bat big on days 2 and 3 and hope to only bat once

[rich1uk]

cook wins another toss and bats first

dawson makes his debut, broad back, woakes and anderson out

[Arthur Crabtree]

Bloody hell. England bat. Though, as they've been picking sides to play in the game that's just finished, maybe they've done the same with the toss.

[Arthur Crabtree]

cook wins another toss and bats first

dawson makes his debut, broad back, woakes and anderson out

Strengthens the batting.