*Official* 1st Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, 05 - 09 Feb 2021

[honestbharani]

I totally agree, @centurymaker but again this is just the ICC being pragmatic. No one knows if neutral tests will draw well and they need confirmation of where the game is etc. for the rights and broadcasting and marketing to work properly. I think if the final is a hit, we may see at least 2 match series going forward and maybe 3 if we are lucky some 10 years down the line. This is just a start and it is very much WIP, and for these reasons, I am happy it at least exists and gives the cricket community something to talk about in tests other than just tours.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Root

 

[OverratedSanity]

Nadeem ew

 

[Daemon]

Kuldeep misses out for Nadeem..

Poor lad. Not sure when he'll ever get a game.

Maybe he's really bowling crap in the nets.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Kuldeep misses out for Nadeem..

Poor lad. Not sure when he'll ever get a game.

Maybe he's really bowling crap in the nets.

Maybe he's smirking too much in the nets.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Kohli and his mealy-mouthed "Kuldeep's in the team plans" talk can go **** itself. This is how you destroy a young cricketer's confidence.

 

[h_hurricane]

May be they are just hoping that Nadeem will maintain his debut test average of 10.

 

[honestbharani]

Nadeem? Might surprise, but I guess Sundar may not have played had Axar been fit and they may have played Kuldeep for Nadeem in that case, and Axar for Sundar.

 

[Daemon]

Is Burns any good against spin? I see he's played a Lankan series before but not done that much.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Can't get my head around it. Guy's the first spinner since Kumble to pick up a five-fer in Aus, but still couldn't get a game after the bottom fell out of the bowling. Again passed over for a left-arm orthodox with one Test under his belt? At home now? What's the reasoning here? Nadeem is some kind of Jadeja is he?

 

[trundler]

So who's going to be a more atrocious keeper between Buttler and Pant? Reminder that Jos Buttler has taken one stumping so far in his test career.

 

[honestbharani]

Can't get my head around it. Guy's the first spinner since Kumble to pick up a five-fer in Aus, but still couldn't get a game after the bottom fell out of the bowling. Again passed over for a left-arm orthodox with one Test under his belt? At home now? What's the reasoning here? Nadeem is some kind of Jadeja is he?

Nah, you guys are over reacting, I feel. I think Axar's injury messed up the line up. If Axar was fit, I feel it would have been him and Kuldeep for Nadeem and Sundar. But since he is not fit and they are worried about batting Ash at 7, they got Sundar as the allrounder at 7 and got Nadeem in as he turns the ball the other way to both Sundar and Ash.

 

[shashy]

Perhaps the thinking is having one spinner that spins the ball away from the right-hander...?

 

[honestbharani]

I am honestly much more at peace watching us bowl than watching us bat. It has never really been this way. Our batting is supposed to be the fun watchable part.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Kuldeep has a great googly, I dont think the turns the ball the same way thing is a valid explanation for this. Imo he's probably just not doing well in practice.

 

[honestbharani]

Kuldeep has a great googly, I dont think the turns the ball the same way thing is a valid explanation for this. Imo he's probably just not doing well in practice.

He is not gonna bowl a googly every ball. And his stock ball still goes the same way. I mean, if you wanna discuss variations, Ashwin can bowl actual leg breaks apart from his carrom ball, lol. I feel they just wanted someone whose stock ball turned the other way and its fair enough too IMO.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Kuldeep has a great googly, I dont think the turns the ball the same way thing is a valid explanation for this. Imo he's probably just not doing well in practice.

Shouldn't have been kept in the squad post-Aus then. Could be playing some cricket elsewhere.

 

[Daemon]

Shouldn't have been kept in the squad post-Aus then. Could be playing some cricket elsewhere.

It's probably better for him to be in the squad and work on his bowling against the best bats in the country than to play in the SMAT imo.

 

[Daemon]

I dont think the turns the ball the same way thing is a valid explanation for this

Of course it is.

 

[honestbharani]

Shouldn't have been kept in the squad post-Aus then. Could be playing some cricket elsewhere.

Only SMAT was happening and we have seen his bowling has become very stale and predictable in T20s. I think he will play later in the series as long as the allrounder situation sorts itself out. Maybe Ash does well with the bat and gives Virat the confidence to play him at 7 and they get Shardul for one of our seamers in at 8 and then we can play both Nadeem and Kuldeep.