India tour of Eng, June 20 - Aug 4

[sussexpob]

They've finished on time! Is that possible then?

Its raining...

[Arthur Crabtree]

Of course!

[andy]

England win the toss and bowl first

I know stats say bowl but a 30 degree day if don't get early wickets it's gonna be a long day

Seeing as you got the SAvAus result spot on, how is this going to turn out?

Hmm hard to say....honours even right now I'm not sure the pitch is changing too much so I think it will remain good for batting and the England side loves a chase

[Arthur Crabtree]

Fair enough. Might be rain on Tuesday.

[meninblue]

This Indian test team is not that good. Surprisingly they have scored 471. The T20i team is much better and selection is merit-based. This Test team isn't. How big a total India manages to put when Yashasvi does not contributes is something I would like to see in this innings. In Australia the team scores depended on how Yashasvi did. Hope the team bats well as a unit and is not player dependent.

[mikesiva]

England 465 all out

Pope 106
Brook 99
Duckett 62
Smith 40

Bumrah 5-83
Krishna 3-122

[backfootpunch]

This Indian test team is not that good. Surprisingly they have scored 471. The T20i team is much better and selection is merit-based. This Test team isn't. How big a total India manages to put when Yashasvi does not contributes is something I would like to see in this innings. In Australia the team scores depended on how Yashasvi did. Hope the team bats well as a unit and is not player dependent.

You do get the feeling that jaiswal and bumrah are carrying the rest a long

Not sure they got the selection right. Thakur looks a poor pick. Reddy, arshdeep or yadav would've all been more useful

Prasidh bowls far too short and is going to get plastered all series unless he finds a way to bowl fuller

[Arthur Crabtree]

Woah...early wicket alert!

[sussexpob]

This Indian test team is not that good. Surprisingly they have scored 471. The T20i team is much better and selection is merit-based. This Test team isn't. How big a total India manages to put when Yashasvi does not contributes is something I would like to see in this innings. In Australia the team scores depended on how Yashasvi did. Hope the team bats well as a unit and is not player dependent.

I think in many ways Indian fans seem impossible to please, and set incredibly unrealistic standards for their modern test team. It would make sense if the criticism was equal across generations, but at the same time we have to hear how great Indian legends where in the 90s/00s with the golden era.... Tendulkar spent 12 years in a side that lost to every test team away, and didn't win a series in that time. Ganguly also, Azha also.... Laxman/Dravid played 8 years of that period. Sehwag about 3-4 years. Was the golden era that golden?

Even taking the most statistically successful period as a team in that time between 2005 to 2011, away from home India lost to South Africa, Australia, England, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The only victory of note being the 1-0 win in England in 2007, which was the Moores period when England were rubbish, and England would have drawn that series without rain preventing them taking the last Indian wicket in the first test.

India have beaten Australia twice away recently, and went over a decade being the strongest home team ever to exist.... and weirdly, people still think they were crap in comparison. Could argue on paper the Indian team in 2011 was incredibly strong..... they were poleaxed in England 4-0 in one of the most lopsided series ever, then got a 4-0 drubbing in Australia for dessert.

[mikesiva]

The fielding and catching in this match has been poor on both sides.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Rahul dropped by Brook off Tongue for 58. The Yorkshire boy wonder extends his KP tribute act into the field.

[Durhamfootman]

he might be just returning the favour

[Arthur Crabtree]

Morning session mainly bringing the draw into play.

[andy]

Rahul playing well to be fair...leaving the ball very well keeping pant calm and steadying the ship...not the first time he's played well in England...won't be the last either

[andy]

155-3 at lunch lead of 159