Fifth Test: India v England, 16-20 Dec (Chennai)

[backfootpunch]

Was that dissent from honest Joe?

Read some posts critical of his response.

Bairstow gets in the forties and chips a catch into the ring. Bellishly?

He's had a bellish series, lots of pretty knocks but you'd have liked them to last longer

[backfootpunch]

If my calculations are correct when batting 4-7 Moeen averages 44.5

Hopefully england stop messing him about and give him a regular spot, I'd bat him number 7 and have Bairstow 5

Don't think he has the discipline outside off to bat 4 or 5 outside of Asia

[Arthur Crabtree]

I expect he'll start at five next summer, with Bairstow at seven. Which means England will have six bowlers again, so another spinner plays.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Funny that England have had such a bad series, but it feels like it's a struggle to get everyone in the side.

[rich1uk]

Funny that England have had such a bad series, but it feels like it's a struggle to get everyone in the side.

because we have too many players who do enough to avoid getting dropped but rarely put in match winning performances

[Arthur Crabtree]

Of the eight batters to pass 300 runs in the series, five are playing for England.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Funny that England have had such a bad series, but it feels like it's a struggle to get everyone in the side.

because we have too many players who do enough to avoid getting dropped but rarely put in match winning performances

Has usually been the way with the ODI side, until recently.

[alfie]

I expect he'll start at five next summer, with Bairstow at seven. Which means England will have six bowlers again, so another spinner plays.

Blimey , Arthur ...you got your five bowlers - now you want six ? Four quicks and two spinners in England surely means someone's not going to get much work ...

You might be correct about Moeen at five though. I think that could actually work in England - don't fancy it in Australia. And my other concern would be that with two all rounders in the top six there might be a tendency for the other bowlers then to be picked with more than half an eye to their batting rather than going for the best wicket takers.

Anyway that's for another day. Well done Moeen today

And well done England. Plenty of time for it to go wrong yet ; but at least it is a start . I think the possibility existed that having to play one more match when the series was lost might have induced a pretty limp effort ; and it doesn't look like that.

[rich1uk]

i'm not getting too carried away yet

we were 288-5 at the end of day one in the last game and we all know how that ended up

[backfootpunch]

I expect he'll start at five next summer, with Bairstow at seven. Which means England will have six bowlers again, so another spinner plays.

Rashid more than likely

I don't mind the 6 bowlers really as long as the captain uses them well

I'd view Moeen as a batsmen who bowls a little bit (mainly to the lefties) from now on anyway

[rich1uk]

i know we are looking a fair bit ahead but if we persevere with ali and stokes in the top 6 then why dont we take the gloves off bairstow, play foakes as keeper and bat him at #8

[alfie]

i'm not getting too carried away yet

we were 288-5 at the end of day one in the last game and we all know how that ended up

We do indeed. Arguably slightly better this time with one less wicket down and the same runs scored on a much slower outfield.
But really it all turns on whether England can get India out for par or less in their first innings - haven't been able to do so yet in the series. Might need a Broad special...

[backfootpunch]

i'm not getting too carried away yet

we were 288-5 at the end of day one in the last game and we all know how that ended up

We do indeed. Arguably slightly better this time with one less wicket down and the same runs scored on a much slower outfield.
But really it all turns on whether England can get India out for par or less in their first innings - haven't been able to do so yet in the series. Might need a Broad special...

Not dropping kohli would be a good start

[Dr Cricket]

Surprised newman didn't mention losing by an innings and then Root or Bairstow not beating vaughan record.

[meninblue]

Why isnt Jayant playing. Obviously he must be injured. Seems Ajinkya too didnt recover or they dont want to rush him back with series won allowing him more time to recover completely.