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

[Arthur Crabtree]

Woakes and Anderson took one wicket between them in the match. So Cook thinks he should have picked more pace bowlers.

Arguably, they should have picked another batter rather than Batty, but hard to imagine they needed more pace when the two specialists they picked were so ineffectual.

overall we did take more wickets with seam than we did with spin however

woakes and anderson rely more on seam movement and convential swing, whereas stokes seems to be better when the ball starts reversing

kind hard to argue one way or the other when only 2 bowlers, 1 seamer and 1 spinner, really had anything to show for it

Its not a criticism, but I sense Arthur was more falling back on his own selection ideology he has previously displayed as to the use of seam in these conditions. I tend to agree that Cooks words were a little baffling, as Anderson, Woakes and Stokes in these conditions are adequate. Batty was extra baggage, he should have been replaced for a batter.

Having three spinners is akin to saying that one or if not both my others spinners are terrible. A spinner should be able to bowl a whole day at either ends, so a third is simply not necessary unless you are already in a losing position.

India are using three pretty well. And a SLA, OB, and LBG all offer different strategies.

I wasn't defending the use of spin above, in fact I suggested an extra batter. Just the fourth pace bowler being unnecessary.

[hopeforthebest]

Duckett should be returned to the CC not because he hasn't scored runs but because his technique is poor coupled with a suspect temperament and Hameed is worthy of more opportunities because he has a good technique and temperament to match. Hameed even looked a test player by the way he stood at short leg, a real pro.

[hopeforthebest]

One big problem with the England system is when they find a player they grab him and he hardly ever sees his county again. Hameed and Duckett should be continuing their apprenticeship at their counties whilst England give them occasional opportunities to play test cricket but do not severe the county link too soon.

[andy]

Was another good knock by Joe Root...just frustrates me that once again he couldn't kick onto a 100, has happened far too often recently..

[Making_Splinters]

Too many familiar failings from England, India simply need to play decently and we'll capitulate it seems. But, what a knock that was from Hameed, shame he's ruled out for the rest of the tour.

[yuppie]

Looking from the outside it seemed that England were playing with 10 men.

Why was Batty picked if he was not going to be bowled? Its not for his fielding or batting. Indeed England could have had another batsman and asked Root to roll his arm over for a few overs.

[andy]

Like said previously, Batty was only selected because selectors were worried about Rashid going into this series..now he's proved he is settling down and has the captain's confidence, dont be suprised to see the 3rd spinner left out and 3rd seamer brought in

[Dr Cricket]

England's results have to be viewed in context of their difficulty. After the 2013-14 Ashes, England returned to the bottom of a cycle. Results were poor and performances unconvincing. They lost at home to SL and to India on a bright green pitch. KP was sacked. Cook was telling the terminally injured Prior that he had a job for life. Downton was drawing a salary...

Going into 2015, they had a very dense fixture list and started off with a draw against the mediocre West Indies. Cook really should have been moved on, but for the ECB, There Was No Alternative. Given that, a draw with NZ was a good result, then an Ashes win, nearly winning the first Test in UAE, and winning in SA represented a huge over achievement. Then they demolished SL.

The draw with Pakistan will be determined by what happens next. It might be a slightly disappointing outcome in a period where they hugely overachieved, or it might be the start of a fresh slump that will finally see Cook step down.

The big difference under Bayliss, and where he deserves credit, is that ENgland started to appear competent on the field. Cook under Moores you watched through your fingers. Under Bayliss, it looks like there is a motivational intelligence at work. That can only be the influence of the coach.

England are result are very odd in that in the most difficult series they done really well although the ashes were a mix bag.
but they been quite poor in the winnable/domination series drew WI, Ban, struggled to beat Pakistan and thrashed sri lanka that anyone would in home conditions.
But really in bayliss period only SA series was a success, Ashes was 2 wins from 2 bowling first decks and were thrashed in london.
At the moment to be a top side England need to be ruthless at home not sure they been ruthless at home far too many teams are winning games or playing well.
in the last few years, SA, Pak, India, Sri lanka, Australia, NZ winning games only side missing out is WI in winning games in england.

do think Bayliss honeymoon period needs to end soon. find it hard or weird why people are accepting these results just because they got the potential to be a great side 2-3 yrs in the future.
They won't be a great side unless they actually stop losing a game every 2 test.

[Dr Cricket]

Like said previously, Batty was only selected because selectors were worried about Rashid going into this series..now he's proved he is settling down and has the captain's confidence, dont be suprised to see the 3rd spinner left out and 3rd seamer brought in

Would prefer if they change the squad, in the comms Athers, Hussain and one indian comm were discussing what england would do in a rank turner considering they have no trust in Batty, Ansari.
and the answer was Ansari just because he bowls quick but didn't sound like the commentators actually wanted him in the team.
Adi won't be a happy at this thought but Ravi shastri laughed at england for picking 3 spinners and some other indian journalist were laughing as well.

Really looking at the squad they need to remove one of Ball/Finn and get a batsman in and drop one of Ansari/Batty for an left arm spin option which is leach.
The fact they need to select another opener when they brought 3 with them shows how poor the squad was in the first place.

Do wish the series can start again since England been quite competitive and would be testing india way more if they actually picked a good squad that the captain and coach wants.
At the moment they running out of options and what ever they do it is likely england playing 10 players.
one article I read suggest Cook not sure on Woakes bowling and he probably only playing because he can bat in the next game.
Woakes isn't that great with reverse swing so not getting much out of the pitches and he obviously not getting conventional swing either and doesn't look much of a cutter bowler either.
Not sure the pitches would suit Finn and if ball was that great he would be playing right now.
Even if they go with 4+2 reckon Woakes/Finn/Ball will hardly bowl either.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Don't agree with the Ashes. That was a huge shock.

[Dr Cricket]

Series stats so far.

England seam 258 overs 19 wickets at 38.6 Econ 2.83 strike rate 81.6
India seam 197.5 overs 15 wickets at 37.3 econ 2.82 strike rate 79.1

England spin 307 overs 28 wickets at 37.25 econ 3.39 strike rate 65.9
india spin 421.4 overs 36 wickets at 30.97 econ 2.64 strike rate 71.2

Difference so far been the batting and Spinners probably india got 5 threatening bowlers England 3 maybe 4.

most run scorers
Kohli 405 runs
Pujara 338 runs
Root 299 runs
Stokes 267 runs
Cook 246 runs
Ashwin 239 runs
3 and 3 for the top run scorers
Although the next 2 are English.

Most wickets
Rashid 18 wickets
Ashwin 15 wickets
Shami 10 wickets
Jadeja 10 wickets
Yadav 8 wickets
Stokes 7 wickets
Ali 7 wickets

[Dr Cricket]

Don't agree with the Ashes. That was a huge shock.

was only a huge shock because people were hyping Australia and England were expecting the worse.
wasn't really a huge shock for a neutral viewer.
How people thought england would lose 5-0 was crazy or how Australia were confident of thrashing england was bit odd.
Although I am happy to accept it was a good result but issues were seen then that are still showing up now.
Not sure England have done much to fix it, bowling look poor in good batting decks and England can't bat on them either.

Even if you accept that as a good result not sure 2 good series out of so many in the last few years should be seen as a success especially when the target is to be the best in the world.

I know you will class nz as a good series but that series shouldn't even count with it being a 2 test series, can't read anything about it can't say if England were poor or good.

[Making_Splinters]

I think people are reading far too much into this. England don't bat against spin very well, we've known that for a long time.

[Dr Cricket]

england batting to spin not been bad seen way worse.
Root, Bairstow, Stokes, even Ali who I don't really rate that much against spin looks ok.
they been Testing Ashwin way more than many other sides in india.

think Nasser made good point earlier everyone expected the spinners to be poor but with them doing well all the attention turning to the batsman for not scoring runs to put pressure on India.

[rich1uk]

I think people are reading far too much into this. England don't bat against spin very well, we've known that for a long time.

as usual the simplest explanation tends to be the most accurate