England tour of India, Jan 25 - March 11

[Durhamfootman]

and while some of England's innings have been truly disappointing, they have won a test and been in a position where they might have pushed for a win in 2 of the other 3 (albeit against a depleted India side), so it's hard to be too disappointed. The big difference between England and India, in India, has been Jaiswal. He's been utterly magnificent.... what a find

[mikesiva]

Could be playing on anything, but if Hartley continues serving up filth like that over, it won't matter.

I agree with Shastri. Anderson should have shared the new ball.

[Durhamfootman]

Could be playing on anything, but if Hartley continues serving up filth like that over, it won't matter.

I was listening to Dobell yesterday and he talked about how accurately Bashir bowled for 31 consecutive overs. He noted that both Hartley and Rehan regularly bowl gimme's... drag downs and full tosses, but Bashir tends to put it in the right places repeatedly with only the very, very occasional freebie, even if he doesn't have any variation deliveries

They are all very young for spin bowlers, of course, and by and large they've done pretty well in helpful conditions. The problem is how do they get more bowling? Hartley is competing with Lyon at Lancs and Bashir with Leach at Somerset

[sussexpob]

Could be playing on anything, but if Hartley continues serving up filth like that over, it won't matter.

I agree with Shastri. Anderson should have shared the new ball.

I think this was the 4th time in as many tests that Root has taken the new ball, and its got us nothing in terms of wickets. I questioned it when England went with Root in the first test, and I remain puzzled by the thought process behind it. Anderson has bowled brilliantly with the new ball on some unhelpful decks, and Sharma particularly hasn't looked comfortable to him. If India had to pick one bowler to face, it would be Root.... and we keep on doing it?

They also sold the Bashir pick on his ability to make the ball jump around from lengths.... well the one thing a spinner benefits from in terms of new ball bowling is that variation in bounce from the harder ball. Why isnt he bowling? Makes no sense to me whatsoever.

[sussexpob]

Could be playing on anything, but if Hartley continues serving up filth like that over, it won't matter.

I was listening to Dobell yesterday and he talked about how accurately Bashir bowled for 31 consecutive overs. He noted that both Hartley and Rehan regularly bowl gimme's... drag downs and full tosses, but Bashir tends to put it in the right places repeatedly with only the very, very occasional freebie, even if he doesn't have any variation deliveries

Bowling spin away to India in the modern day has been a death trap for even legendary all time greats, so with that as a benchmark, I think regardless of the result of the series England can be happy they have some talent they can work with in the future.

You'd like to see the ECB make sure their respective counties would be open to a loan move to ensure both are playing 100 percent, but then again, we also know that early season pitches do nothing to help them. One only has to look at Ahmed, who was picked a few times but hardly bowled an over in matches, to see even when a county wants to give the opportunties, the captain sees it seaming around all over the place and keeps his medium-fast trundlers on

[sussexpob]

England's opportunity to send a couple back and ramp the pressure up is flipped against them. India get away to a blistering start, 40-0.... target down to 150.

Should sway the advantage firmly into their favour.

England have probably lost this series based on a couple of days they were insanely poor in. But as someone (DFM?) suggested earlier, it feels like a luxury to say that considering India's record at home. Not many teams get a sniff, so overall we can't be too brutal.

[Durhamfootman]

It has tended to be day 3, I think. With the notable exception of the first test, India seem to have completely dominated day 3's with either bat or ball. Since that first test, whenever England have created a bit of an opportunity for themselves, India have ruthlessly crushed it on day 3

[Durhamfootman]

and despite reports (and speculation) to the contrary, we haven't seen Stokes bowl yet. Given the match situation, I'll be surprised if he thinks it's worth the risk tomorrow

[Durhamfootman]

on 4 occasions in that England innings they lost wickets back to back.

[alfie]

Agree with a lot of the comments above...the Third Day does seem to have been England's achilles heel in this series ! Possibly this is just the natural consequence of the pressure of playing over an extended period against a team which is more talented in the prevailing conditions : you get worn down.

Did think England missed a few tricks : unusually for Stokes , reckon they were a bit too passive in the morning . Too many easy singles conceded , not enough pressure , particularly on Kuldeep. The disappointing bowling from Robinson - who looked a shadow of the fellow we saw in Pakistan last year : military medium ; littered with no balls and generally unthreatening - didn't help. Once the lead was trimmed to just 46 , India had a spring in their step again.

The batting was disappointing. I am inclined to praise Indian bowling on a helpful pitch more than savage them as a group though : batting looked very tough. Some bats got stuck between defence and attack because of the tricky conditions - and also no doubt because they didn't have the anticipated cushion of a large first innings lead. A bit different from batting second chasing 400 ; but still "scoreboard pressure" can be just as significant.

Worst bit for me though was the bowling at the end. Why on earth Jimmy didn't take one end (good record against Rohit ; almost assured of preventing a fast start ; rather used to taking the new ball ) is absolutely beyond me. Can accept Hartley starting - though unfortunately he had the horrors and should have quickly given way to Bashir. And why Root ? He might well be handy later - but wasn't used in the first innings and they managed all right without him... Just no real threat offered in 8 overs and those forty runs have taken a ton of pressure off the Indian bats overnight. So easy to be critical from TV land ; and I am usually the last to have a go at the decisions of those actually in the firing line ; but I reckon England got just about everything wrong there.

Hope they can strike back on resumption and give us a finish to remember. But it's not looking good from out here...

[bigfluffylemon]

Going to be another pasting. Why is it after one team collapses and the pitch looks like a minefield, does the other team typically cruise to victory? Pitch has done nothing for England.

[alfie]

Going to be another pasting. Why is it after one team collapses and the pitch looks like a minefield, does the other team typically cruise to victory? Pitch has done nothing for England.

A fair few balls keeping very low now ! Unfortunately for England they've somehow missed the stumps...all three wickets caught.

Has been an absorbing morning : the second hour all England and Gill and Jadeja just hanging in. Only another 74 needed so the money still very much on the home side ; but another couple of wickets after lunch and nerves would be jangling...

Much more of a contest than I was fearing overnight.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Woah. Is this happening?

[Arthur Crabtree]

2/2 for Bashir. Pressure drops square on the Indian lower order.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Lots of batting left though.

Robinson not getting a bowl. England going to regret not calling up a reserve spinner?