1st Test (Leeds) - 20th June

[kevinw]

Carse bowls wicket taking deliveries but he also has spells where he bowls utter pies. Been very expensive a good few times in the white ball stuff. Has an excellent Test record so far but I don't see it lasting a prolonged period, he's too inconsistent

I wouldn't bother in white ball. But he's the guy who can be handful on a dead wicket or one where it is bouncing. An away specialist like Wood, rather than a homer (e.g. Woakes).

 

[mackembhoy]

Hope this is Sai's time. Make the most of this opportunity as his place is on the line given the competition behind him.

Surely you give him the whole series now you've gone for him as the 3.

Seems counter intuitive to back him and drop him if he doesn't do anything in this test.

 

[silentstriker]

Surely you give him the whole series now you've gone for him as the 3.

Seems counter intuitive to back him and drop him if he doesn't do anything in this test.

You’d think so but I don’t understand this selection process at all. I don’t see how Sarfaraz Khan is not even in the squad for example.

 

[Bijed]

Surely you give him the whole series now you've gone for him as the 3.

Seems counter intuitive to back him and drop him if he doesn't do anything in this test.

Yeah, even if a batsman looks totally out of their depth, I'd usually want to give them 3 tests, although I'd be looking a 2 if their dismisals were particularly egregious

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Surely you give him the whole series now you've gone for him as the 3.

Seems counter intuitive to back him and drop him if he doesn't do anything in this test.

Would imagine the top 6 get the first 3 games no matter what and then they may reassess it. After so much change in a short time they won't want to be seen to be making kneejerk reactions.

 

[ma1978]

India has won the test - this is surely the last time Shardul plays for India, and that makes them the real winner

 

[MW1304]

Christ I miss Jimmy and Broad.

 

[SkyBlue]

Surely you give him the whole series now you've gone for him as the 3.

Seems counter intuitive to back him and drop him if he doesn't do anything in this test.

Im just looking from an overall team balance perspective and given that Shardul Thakur hasn't worked out, I think India might be tempted to bring Nitish Reddy in at 6, move the experienced Nair up at #3 giving us the option of playing an extra bowler/spinner if required.

 

[silentstriker]

Wow. At this point the game is exactly even per betting sites. Thinking about putting some money on England.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Sai looks solid

 

[ma1978]

KL Rahul is saving test cricket

 

[Arachnödouche2.0]

Some ***y driving from KL all Test long. Guy looks like the greatest bat of all time when in flow.

 

[Uppercut]

Tongue is dung.

 

[silentstriker]

Some ***y driving from KL all Test long. Guy looks like the greatest bat of all time when in flow.

there’s gotta be a thread somewhere about the biggest difference between how good a guy looks while batting va their actual average. Eg predicted average based on looks vs actual average. KL Rahul would make that ATG list.

 

[Johan]

there’s gotta be a thread somewhere about the biggest difference between how good a guy looks while batting va their actual average. Eg predicted average based on looks vs actual average. KL Rahul would make that ATG list.

David Gower but worse

 

[silentstriker]

David Gower but worse

Gower averaged almost 45 and scored 8000 Test runs - essentially the same stats as VVS Laxman. I don't think he would make this list.

 

[Uppercut]

there’s gotta be a thread somewhere about the biggest difference between how good a guy looks while batting va their actual average. Eg predicted average based on looks vs actual average. KL Rahul would make that ATG list.

Babar Azam.

 

[ma1978]

there’s gotta be a thread somewhere about the biggest difference between how good a guy looks while batting va their actual average. Eg predicted average based on looks vs actual average. KL Rahul would make that ATG list.

The Carl Hooper list, we can call it

 

[silentstriker]

Babar Azam.

The best part about Babar Azam is his cricinfo profile, which reads "While he doesn't quite have a reputation as one of the deeper thinkers of the game..."

Ouch.

 

[Arachnödouche2.0]

Hate commentators being overly familiar calling players by their first names. Professionalism, ***** (looking at you, Dinesh)