What we learned from the 5th Test

[shortpitched713]

I only see it working under very restrictive rules to the point where it just becomes cumbersome and largely useless.

1. Only for external injuries like a clearly broken bone, eye injury, etc. No soft tissue injuries, ligament sprains, tears etc allowed. The issue with the latter is as Stokes put it nicely - you put some of these fast bowlers through a scan and it’ll tell you they shouldn’t even be walking.

2. You can’t address the issue of getting a new fresh bowler very well, so a compromise would be something like the sub can only bowl in the next innings. No issues with batsmen.

3. Like for like. Name them at the start, subject to match referee concurrence just like concussions. This can get tricky though and potentially unfair in some situations - for example who is Kuldeep’s sub for India? All our other spinners are good batsmen.

I just don’t feel like it’s worth the hassle and potential for unfair advantages.

These are all reasonable and well thought out points on why we should be reticent on allowing subs.

However, it gives an opportunity for an additional ad break, so it WILL happen, whether we like it or not.

 

[Burgey]

I have bet to a Brit colleague that you guys will not lose more than 3 tests and win 1-2 tests.

Oh, what a triumph that would be!

 

[honestbharani]

Yeah it's absurd to think Pant would've saved those byes down leg. If anything, post-accident, that bum left knee prevents him from putting too much weight on it while moving sideways. He's probably better at anticipating the ball swerving past the stumps in English conditions due to past experience but I seriously doubt he can pull off Jurel's acrobatics anymore. Technique-wise there really is no comparison between them.

Nah... he just goes legside by default. That is just a fact. And that is how he saves so many of those wild deliveries down leg and still has to dive for ones keepers would move and take on the off side.

 

[honestbharani]

Oh, what a triumph that would be!

The fact that he thinks even that wont happen should tell you.