First Test: England v India at Edgbaston, 1-5 August 2018.

[The Professor]

Have a bit of a doubt over Jos Buttler's ability to come in and perform when the chips are down.

Spectacular batsman with the wind in his sails but it has been a rather windless Summer thus far.

[alfie]

What a fascinating Test Match ! Never mind the quality (absent from the fielding and much of the batting ) the constant swings of ascendancy and the rising tension make it really worth watching every moment...

I guess India must be considered favorites with just 84 needed and Kohli at the crease ; but he has to start again in the morning against rested bowlers , and also needs partners to stay with him. The way this match has gone you'd think chances will be created and IF England manage to take them the game will get very tight indeed. In truth skill in the end may not count as much as who best holds their nerve.

I do have concerns over Root being in charge in a close finish : he really hasn't yet been very impressive as captain in these fourth innings situations and I just hope he is learning on the job and can get it right tomorrow. At the risk of employing something of a cliche I'd be pretty confident for England if Brearley or Illingworth were directing operations...

I get the sense that Kohli is happy to pick up his runs carefully as long as he has serious support and won't resort to all out attack until he is left with rabbits ; so it may take some time for the run gap to come down. England obviously need to attack , but must not become discouraged or lose the plot if things don't happen for them quickly. Unless conditions change radically the odd ball at least is going to do something so the game is far from over. Looking forward to the finish and hope it lives up to the first three days

[alfie]

Have a bit of a doubt over Jos Buttler's ability to come in and perform when the chips are down.

Spectacular batsman with the wind in his sails but it has been a rather windless Summer thus far.

You and I both ! I love Jos as a white ball player but really would have preferred him to be left to those formats. If Smith insists on playing him I think he must bat five and sink or swim there ... else his selection has done absolutely nothing to bolster the batting lineup.
Apart from the need for at least two new and better batsmen (yeah , I know : easier wished for than delivered !) I think England need to get Root back at 4 and YJB at 7. And pray that Cook is due for some good games before he rides away and leaves both opening spots essentially vacant.
But perhaps we should leave selection detail until this one is done and dusted.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Have a bit of a doubt over Jos Buttler's ability to come in and perform when the chips are down.

Spectacular batsman with the wind in his sails but it has been a rather windless Summer thus far.

I think Buttler is superb when the chips are down, with a white ball. But the red ball game is different. The former swings for 4 overs, the latter for 40, and it seams more. Test field placings are more hostile. More bouncers are permitted. The skills really don't cross over overwhelmingly.

[bigfluffylemon]

Morning all.

So here we go. It's probably not quite as simple as get Virat = win the match, but England certainly won't win if they don't nab him in the first hour or so, and a couple of others besides.

[andy]

Defo think if we get him early then we will win, but if he adds another 30-35 runs, before we get him out, then i think its India's, will be over by lunch, and will be fascinating watch

[Arthur Crabtree]

Must be a great feeling of anticipation in the ground.

I remember going into the seats in 05, knowing that it would all be over soon, but we were going to get the business end of the game very quickly. Of course, the Edgbaston Test back then was only going one way. This one though is hard to call!

[sussexpob]

Think sky said tickets were 25 and 16 quid today, for adults and children. Wonder how many will turn up, would have made it a tenner myself and hope to fill it for a session.

Footie season kicks off today mind. Might impact

[Arthur Crabtree]

As has been noted in a few places, Kohli has 191 runs in the game, and the other end plus extras has 192.

Statswise his first knock was one of those innings that score high among the best ever, such was his high proportion of runs compared to his teammates and the degree of difficulty of the pitch. Like Gooch's 154* at Headingley in 1991, though this England attack isn't as good as the WI one was.

[andy]

Jimmy gets Karthik!!!!!!!!!!

[bigfluffylemon]

Malan finally hangs on to one!

Going to be a tense hour.

[sussexpob]

Would have been tight with a direct hit that

[sussexpob]

lovely shot from Pandie there

[sussexpob]

lovely shot from Pandie there

This being this test, Broad follows it up with an unplayable cutter that fizzes past the edge....

This is really tense.

[sussexpob]

Rare rank ball, Kohli must have thought it was Christmas..... 50 up. In the context, one of the best 50s in recent times. Gets a few words from Anderson, he just smiles back