3rd Test: India v England at Mohali on Nov 26-30

[Arthur Crabtree]

I'd rather have Ian Bell back than Buttler at 4.

I don't suppose he'll bat at four. Probably at 6-7.

Hasn't Woakes had more success as a Test bat than Buttler?

Much more of this and I'll talk him into a double ton in Mohali.

[Aidan11]

Alex Hales might be feeling pretty nervous now.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I'd rather have Ian Bell back than Buttler at 4.

Id rather have nasser back than buttler at 4

Well maybe not

Ha!

There's been a predictable cock up, as was suggested after the BD series, augmented by the A team not starting their tour. And the lack of long term A team red ball cricket.

[Making_Splinters]

Cook/Haseeb/Root/Buttler/Moeen/Stokes/Bairstow/Woakes/Rashid/Batty/Anderson

Swap the JBs if Buttler keeps (which he won't). Sounds like JB is doing ok with the gloves so far.

Buttler at 4?

Hes never struck me as a top order player or a particularly good player of spin

Slot him in at 7 and bump moeen, Stokes and bairstow up one

Or bairstow at 4 if he is happy to bar that high and keep

If he's not a top order bat, why is he playing as a specialist bat. A specialist number seven... I accept that's what they'll do. Just that it's crazy. Someone who is getting into the side purely as a bat. But is only good enough to bat at seven?

Because the selectors picked two no hopers in duckett and ballance

It's got to the point where they can chuck buttler in at 7 just because he can't do any worse and bairstow needs to bat higher so he has a chance to make a more meaningful contribution

I'd bat bairstow at 4, I like the idea of root and bairstow batting together regularly

Well if the top domestic run scorer in the country is a "no hoper" then I don't realy know what the point of team selection is anymore. Not to forget he has also played big innings for the A side and made 5 50s across the formats in Bangladesh.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yes, good point.

Probably could have done with a prior fc Asia tour with the A team, as used to happen. Problems could have been addressed then.

[backfootpunch]

Cook/Haseeb/Root/Buttler/Moeen/Stokes/Bairstow/Woakes/Rashid/Batty/Anderson

Swap the JBs if Buttler keeps (which he won't). Sounds like JB is doing ok with the gloves so far.

Buttler at 4?

Hes never struck me as a top order player or a particularly good player of spin

Slot him in at 7 and bump moeen, Stokes and bairstow up one

Or bairstow at 4 if he is happy to bar that high and keep

If he's not a top order bat, why is he playing as a specialist bat. A specialist number seven... I accept that's what they'll do. Just that it's crazy. Someone who is getting into the side purely as a bat. But is only good enough to bat at seven?

Because the selectors picked two no hopers in duckett and ballance

It's got to the point where they can chuck buttler in at 7 just because he can't do any worse and bairstow needs to bat higher so he has a chance to make a more meaningful contribution

I'd bat bairstow at 4, I like the idea of root and bairstow batting together regularly

Well if the top domestic run scorer in the country is a "no hoper" then I don't realy know what the point of team selection is anymore. Not to forget he has also played big innings for the A side and made 5 50s across the formats in Bangladesh.

Do division 2 runs really count for much these days?

[Aidan11]

Cook/Haseeb/Root/Buttler/Moeen/Stokes/Bairstow/Woakes/Rashid/Batty/Anderson

Swap the JBs if Buttler keeps (which he won't). Sounds like JB is doing ok with the gloves so far.

Buttler at 4?

Hes never struck me as a top order player or a particularly good player of spin

Slot him in at 7 and bump moeen, Stokes and bairstow up one

Or bairstow at 4 if he is happy to bar that high and keep

If he's not a top order bat, why is he playing as a specialist bat. A specialist number seven... I accept that's what they'll do. Just that it's crazy. Someone who is getting into the side purely as a bat. But is only good enough to bat at seven?

Because the selectors picked two no hopers in duckett and ballance

It's got to the point where they can chuck buttler in at 7 just because he can't do any worse and bairstow needs to bat higher so he has a chance to make a more meaningful contribution

I'd bat bairstow at 4, I like the idea of root and bairstow batting together regularly

Well if the top domestic run scorer in the country is a "no hoper" then I don't realy know what the point of team selection is anymore. Not to forget he has also played big innings for the A side and made 5 50s across the formats in Bangladesh.

This is what annoys me. Most of our batters have struggled but Duckett is being made the fall guy after a handful of innings to accommodate a "basher" which will almost certainly disrupt the batting order.

It's madness.

[backfootpunch]

Alex Hales might be feeling pretty nervous now.

He's probably asking Notts if he can bat in the middle order

[Dr Cricket]

Although Dobell mentioned when the squad was announced that ECB or the selectors or whoever in charge were not comfortable that Duckett and hameed haven't came through the lions system or loughbourgh and were not really sure how they would cope in asia.
Duckett played lions but not overseas yet and Hameed never been part of any group except for the under 19 and he got dropped for the Asia leg/world cup.
Although it turns out Hameed played a lot of cricket in Asia from a young age.

Dobell also stated that with Vince, Hales, Ballance, plus countless other openers not doing well, the Selectors had no choice but to pick players without lions experience

[Aidan11]

I don't have a problem with them being picked with Lions experience or not.

If they're good enough get 'em in, but don't drop 'em after a handfull of games because they haven#t scored a century or two.

[Making_Splinters]

Although Dobell mentioned when the squad was announced that ECB or the selectors or whoever in charge were not comfortable that Duckett and hameed haven't came through the lions system or loughbourgh and were not really sure how they would cope in asia.
Duckett played lions but not overseas yet and Hameed never been part of any group except for the under 19 and he got dropped for the Asia leg/world cup.
Although it turns out Hameed played a lot of cricket in Asia from a young age.

Dobell also stated that with Vince, Hales, Ballance, plus countless other openers not doing well, the Selectors had no choice but to pick players without lions experience

I wasn't aware that Hameed had played cricket at any level in Asia, given he's been playing for Lancashire since he was 12. Could you elaborate on this as I'm genuinely curious about it.

[Dr Cricket]

TBH in this series Duckett actually the only batsman to fail for england.

Cook average with one century + slow fifty
Hameed ok and looking solid
Root Century and 50, good series so far
Stokes century and a fifty plus a good winter with the bat
Ali century on the first test but did struggle in Vizag
Bairstow doing well with the bat

Only person failing his Duckett.

[Aidan11]

TBH in this series Duckett actually the only batsman to fail for england.

Cook average with one century + slow fifty
Hameed ok and looking solid
Root Century and 50, good series so far
Stokes century and a fifty plus a good winter with the bat
Ali century on the first test but did struggle in Vizag
Bairstow doing well with the bat

Only person failing his Duckett.

Duckett got a 50 in Bangladesh though.

[Dr Cricket]

Although Dobell mentioned when the squad was announced that ECB or the selectors or whoever in charge were not comfortable that Duckett and hameed haven't came through the lions system or loughbourgh and were not really sure how they would cope in asia.
Duckett played lions but not overseas yet and Hameed never been part of any group except for the under 19 and he got dropped for the Asia leg/world cup.
Although it turns out Hameed played a lot of cricket in Asia from a young age.

Dobell also stated that with Vince, Hales, Ballance, plus countless other openers not doing well, the Selectors had no choice but to pick players without lions experience

I wasn't aware that Hameed had played cricket at any level in Asia, given he's been playing for Lancashire since he was 12. Could you elaborate on this as I'm genuinely curious about it.

During Rajkot Test Journalist been saying he been spending time in Mumbai and Gujarat most winters apparently one ranji side offered him a contract which he rejected because he got a lancashire contract.
His dad sent him to some cricket academy in India when he was young and even played games in the famous park in Mumbai where tendulkar played club cricket.
I will try and find the article again but it been confirmed by his dad and brother that when he was young he use to come india every winter and play cricket.

[Dr Cricket]

TBH in this series Duckett actually the only batsman to fail for england.

Cook average with one century + slow fifty
Hameed ok and looking solid
Root Century and 50, good series so far
Stokes century and a fifty plus a good winter with the bat
Ali century on the first test but did struggle in Vizag
Bairstow doing well with the bat

Only person failing his Duckett.

Duckett got a 50 in Bangladesh though.

TBH one 50 in 6 innings isn't that great especially when the other scores are low.