4th Test (Old Trafford, Manchester) - 23rd to 27th of July

[Ju7]

I don't disagree that centuries aren't the be all and end all but Root has had ~0 actual impact in Australia. It's not really about whether he can score A Hundred, it's about whether he can actually play a match defining innings in Australia.

That's fair.I remember specific innings rather than the no of centuries a batter has.A 70 in really difficult conditions/match situation can be worth more than a ton on a road.
However,in general a players average and number of tons and where they got them are a benchmark by which to judge players initially.

 

[Arachnödouche2.0]

Counting on Pant getting out to a reckless shot tomorrow even on the one leg.

 

[capt_Luffy]

I ain't active much on this thread (okay, have posted twice before and one was a half hearted comeback on being called for ducking), didn't had the mental energy largely for a few IRL reasons, but if Gill scores a double ton, I will change my Signature to "I issue a public apology to Shubhman Gill for doubting him". Will keep that till he regresses to his pre English tour self.

 

[jaydesh]

I think the best hope for India is to do a repeat of the Ashwin-Vihari SCG escape for the moment. A couple things will be interesting to look out for. First will be the weather. It is a bit patchy tomorrow, but unlikely to impact proceedings. Second will be if Ben Stokes will bowl. Saw him clutching the hamstring a bit. And lastly, how much could the pitch deteriorate? There was some uneven bounce, with Dawson getting a few to spin sharply.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I don't disagree that centuries aren't the be all and end all but Root has had ~0 actual impact in Australia. It's not really about whether he can score A Hundred, it's about whether he can actually play a match defining innings in Australia.

Kind of agree but at the same time virtually every ATG batsman has a bogey country. It doesn't mean much when evaluating his standing among the greats imo.

 

[Johan]

I ain't active much on this thread (okay, have posted twice before and one was a half hearted comeback on being called for ducking), didn't had the mental energy largely for a few IRL reasons, but if Gill scores a double ton, I will change my Signature to "I issue a public apology to Shubhman Gill for doubting him". Will keep that till he regresses to his pre English tour self.

Tommorrow can be peak cinema.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Kind of agree but at the same time virtually every ATG batsman has a bogey country. It doesn't mean much when evaluating his standing among the greats imo.

Ponting was clueless to Harbhajan in India many a times. I feel that showed a clear gap in his game and should be held against him. For a boogey country, many a times the sample size just seems to be really small (like with Viv and NZ) or the country just not as important (Sobers and NZ, albeit NZ won a few games and even a Series IIRC) or both (Smith and Bangladesh). I think failing totally in a certain condition should be held against ATGs, that's the thing they have signed up for.

 

[Johan]

Ponting was clueless to Harbhajan in India many a times. I feel that showed a clear gap in his game and should be held against him. For a boogey country, many a times the sample size just seems to be really small (like with Viv and NZ) or the country just not as important (Sobers and NZ, albeit NZ won a few games and even a Series IIRC) or both (Smith and Bangladesh). I think failing totally in a certain condition should be held against ATGs, that's the thing they have signed up for.

He's right though, all of Dravid/Kallis/Sanga/Ponting/Root had certain conditions where they just didn't make huge runs and lacked something, be it consistency or big scores, Truly complete records are a thing for the guys who make top 10 bats of all time and nobody thinks Root or Ponting are top 10 ever (except maybe Kyear) but they are ATGs anyway. Bottomline – You can be ATG without having a picture perfect record.

 

[govinda indian fan]

He's right though, all of Dravid/Kallis/Sanga/Ponting/Root had certain conditions where they just didn't make huge runs and lacked something, be it consistency or big scores, Truly complete records are a thing for the guys who make top 10 bats of all time and nobody thinks Root or Ponting are top 10 ever (except maybe Kyear) but they are ATGs anyway. Bottomline – You can be ATG without having a picture perfect record.

Mate root is atg irrespective of wethever he scores 100 in aus or not. Punter averages 41 in eng and root 35 in aus

 

[govinda indian fan]

Hope we don't lose by innings

 

[capt_Luffy]

He's right though, all of Dravid/Kallis/Sanga/Ponting/Root had certain conditions where they just didn't make huge runs and lacked something, be it consistency or big scores, Truly complete records are a thing for the guys who make top 10 bats of all time and nobody thinks Root or Ponting are top 10 ever (except maybe Kyear) but they are ATGs anyway. Bottomline – You can be ATG without having a picture perfect record.

I didn't object to that, just stated that it's not something to sweep under rug and is a legit blackmark, and in arguably a more than few cases, separates the rest from the BABs.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

When was the last time a team batted 5 sessions to save a Test?

 

[Agonizingly Awkward]

When was the last time a team batted 5 sessions to save a Test?

India vs Aus 21 sydney comes to mind. Possibly a few others in between that and this Test.

 

[ma1978]

Ponting was clueless to Harbhajan in India many a times. I feel that showed a clear gap in his game and should be held against him. For a boogey country, many a times the sample size just seems to be really small (like with Viv and NZ) or the country just not as important (Sobers and NZ, albeit NZ won a few games and even a Series IIRC) or both (Smith and Bangladesh). I think failing totally in a certain condition should be held against ATGs, that's the thing they have signed up for.

no need for a double ton, but a 165 (430) like the Gambhir innings in NZ will have saved the match. We need him to play another 250 balls, which is a big ask.

 

[capt_Luffy]

no need for a double ton, but a 165 (430) like the Gambhir innings in NZ will have saved the match. We need him to play another 250 balls, which is a big ask.

I am still just desperately trying to avoid that signature really.....

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

England unsure whether Stokes can bowl tomorrow, series still well and truly alive...

 

[Groundking]

Fair play to Rahul and Gill, they've stood up massively today when under the quash

 

[slowfinger]

this series gonna go down to who can Ghambir the hardest

 

[slowfinger]

isn't it a bit concerning how we got very little penetration with the ball without Stokes? **** man I doubt he will even bowl 3/5 games in the Ashes or he might not make the plane home to England

 

[Spark]

Gill shepherding his team to safety here would be a much, much more impressive achievement than Edgbaston IMO. Would absolutely be the making of him as a captain.