England Versus India - 1st Test (9 Nov - 13 Nov)

[Arthur Crabtree]

The selectors said Hales would have been dropped for BD, so hard to see him coming back.

[Aidan11]

I love five test series.

Bring it on.

[Making_Splinters]

Obviously, the plan is to send the same squad to India. But they made clear that the one in BD was just for that series. A similar thing happened in 2005-6. Inexperienced spinners didn't look good in Pakistan before new year, so new players were picked for India. Monty, and Blackwell. Someone would have to tank badly for a change to be made, but it's possible the England selectors could get spooked by bad displays in BD.

Hales was the opener in possession so maybe he'll return and Duckett hasn't impressed so far, he looks very much an ODI batsman.

Duckett has played one Test, one. Ins't it a trifle early to be making any such assertions, Hope? I spend a fair bit of time talking about giving players a fair chance, but 1 Test really takes the biscuit.

If anything, Duckett has impressed! He's made fifties in the ODIs, fifties in the warm up games, in fact before his Test debut he'd made about as good of an impression as possible really. Given both Cook and Root failed at the top of the order, maybe, just maybe, it was a tough time to open up.

Strewth.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Ducks could be the latest opening partner to outscore Cook, but still be dropped!

[hopeforthebest]

Duckett's tendency to step legside to make room for the cut shot is typical ODI batting and not something you want to see in a test opener. I don't discount he might be OK in the middle order but as an opener he looks risky.

[hopeforthebest]

According to cricinfo Woakes who bowled only seven overs in each innings is likely to be ROTATED out for the second test in order to treat this game as a warm up for India. Let's hope his replacement gets more than 14 overs to warm him up. Someone else will no doubt score the 52 runs he made as well.

[Dr Cricket]

Nice the annoying Bumble won't go india.
Atherton, Hussain and Botham will be the commentators in the india series.

[Making_Splinters]

Duckett's tendency to step legside to make room for the cut shot is typical ODI batting and not something you want to see in a test opener. I don't discount he might be OK in the middle order but as an opener he looks risky.

To be honest, I don't really think the "Test Opener" status applies anymore. There are very few players like Cook around anymore, most sides have an aggressive opening bat and England certainly need one to partner Cook to get a bit of pressure on the bowling side from the get go. Obviously you still need to be good enough, but the younger generation of players, Hameed aside, are looking to score when they can.

[Dr Cricket]

Even Agnew likes the new pitches.
Can't wait for next month when the same people start complaining about the turn on day 1 lol.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37748650

[Making_Splinters]

Even Agnew likes the new pitches.
Can't wait for next month when the same people start complaining about the turn on day 1 lol.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37748650

There is a difference between a pitch that has a bit for everyone and one that is hugely in favour of the bowlers.

I don't see any difference between a green top and a dust bowl, both aren't good for cricket which is supposed to be a balance between bat and ball rather than one sided either way. This pitch was probably a little too far towards the bowlers but given the relatively weak sides on display it didn't show. Had that been in India with Ashwin bowling on it or Virat et al batting on it I have not doubts that there wouldn't have been compliments paid!

Note Agnew is comparing the pitch favourably to the dead wickets seen in the UAE, it would be nice for him to throw into that comparison some of the very dead pitches we've seen in England over the last few years, or even in Australia rather than making it all about the subcontinent all of the time. England really struggle with the balance side of pitch preparation these days, it's either a flat wicket or a result wicket, rarely a good cricket wicket. Perhaps if there was the same level of scrutiny put on our groundsman as their is outcry about India and Sri Lanka then we might get back to the days when there were pitches that seamed, batted well then spun in England. Perish the thought.

[Dr Cricket]

Even Agnew likes the new pitches.
Can't wait for next month when the same people start complaining about the turn on day 1 lol.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37748650

There is a difference between a pitch that has a bit for everyone and one that is hugely in favour of the bowlers.

I don't see any difference between a green top and a dust bowl, both aren't good for cricket which is supposed to be a balance between bat and ball rather than one sided either way. This pitch was probably a little too far towards the bowlers but given the relatively weak sides on display it didn't show. Had that been in India with Ashwin bowling on it or Virat et al batting on it I have not doubts that there wouldn't have been compliments paid!

Note Agnew is comparing the pitch favourably to the dead wickets seen in the UAE, it would be nice for him to throw into that comparison some of the very dead pitches we've seen in England over the last few years, or even in Australia rather than making it all about the subcontinent all of the time. England really struggle with the balance side of pitch preparation these days, it's either a flat wicket or a result wicket, rarely a good cricket wicket. Perhaps if there was the same level of scrutiny put on our groundsman as their is outcry about India and Sri Lanka then we might get back to the days when there were pitches that seamed, batted well then spun in England. Perish the thought.

Although do think we got to the stage in Sri lanka, India, Bangladesh that pitches have been manipulated to get viewers watching or more people coming to the stadiums.
but yes groundsman should get the same scrutiny considering the old ones are retiring and the new ones don't really know what they doing and they basically get away with anything.

Although not sure sub C will ever see the batting deck on day 1 again, considering those games see a massive drop in the rating and really they will kill cricket in the region.
Not really sure what a perfect sub C pitch would be considering it is either going to be flat or spin from day 1.

one thing I would say is that Test cricket won't survive in Asia if 5 or 6 test series ends in 0-0 or 1-0 results.
really not sure why people thought the pitches in india or asia were acceptable in the 70 or 80s.
Is it really a surprise that people in Asia don't like Test cricket considering they spent 20 yrs watching that crap.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Any link between SRT retiring and the pitches becoming less batter-friendly? It may be that SRT batting could hold the interest of Indian crowds, but without him, a different balance is sought. It seemed to change as soon as he retired. Though has changed more since.

[Dr Cricket]

Any link between SRT retiring and the pitches becoming less batter-friendly? It may be that SRT batting could hold the interest of Indian crowds, but without him, a different balance is sought. It seemed to change as soon as he retired. Though has changed more since.

Yeah was going to say that as well the last batting legend retiring made it easier as well.
Sri lanka changed after Sanga/Jaya retired and last time i read PCB wanted to move out of UAE because no one in pakistan watches Test cricket in UAE.
No broadcaster wants to touch Pakistan cricket at the moment, Ratings are awful in Pakistan at the moment.

yeah with Tendulkar retiring, people need a reason to watch india play Test cricket although think the actual phenomenon started around 2011 and the improving ratings made it carried on.
the changing point was in 2012 when india losing 2-1 rated way higher than india winning before and since then the ratings been increasing.

[Arthur Crabtree]

If India win 5-0,they will be out of sight in the rankings for the foreseeable future.

[Dr Cricket]

If India win 5-0,they will be out of sight in the rankings for the foreseeable future.

from my calculation they should be number 1 till maybe 2018.
think india will be at risk from losing the ranking when the india vs england series starts in 2018.