India Tour of England, June-Sept 2014

[Cricket Tragic]

Expected addition to the squad. He has been in good form since his comeback.

[Laaloo]

oh boy. it will even tougher now to get the lower order out :banghead: But no worries, Ishant sharma is leading the attack

[TheTruth]

Team I'd pick: Dhawan R Sharma Pujara Kohli Rahane Dhoni Ashwin Shami P Singh I Pandey Aaron Predicted team: Dhawan Vijay Pujara Kohli Rahane R Sharma Dhoni Binny B Kumar I Sharma Shami

[Cricket Tragic]

Team I'd pick: Dhawan R Sharma Pujara Kohli Rahane Dhoni Ashwin Shami P Singh I Pandey Aaron Predicted team: Dhawan Vijay Pujara Kohli Rahane R Sharma Dhoni Binny B Kumar I Sharma Shami

Rohit opening with Dhoni at 6? Glad that you're not picking the team.

[kubrickian]

based on what?darting it down at the pads?

Based on the fact that he got 6 wickets in 2nd test against SA at Durban. Ashwin just doesnt have the consistency to get wickets other than on rank turners in India as yet. Ashwin played in 1st test against SA and completely botched it. He couldn't pick a single wicket and was the big reason why India couldn't finish SA's 2nd innings.

[TheTruth]

With comments like that I wonder if people understand what the alternatives are. We're not blessed with the same openers as 10 years ago. Neither Vijay or Dhawan are established players either, there's a big question mark over anyone who opens. But I'd argue Rohit has the patience and technique to take his time and get in. Dhoni and Ashwin (who I rate as a decent batsman) I'd put a place higher than normal simply because we need to give ourselves the best chance of taking 20 wickets.

[SLICKR392]

Dobell: Batsman-friendly pitches expected

When India and England met in the final of the Champions Trophy at Edgbaston in June last year, the casual observer might have expected home advantage to play a key role. It was not so. Instead, with the groundsman not allowed to water due to ICC regulations, conditions favoured India, with a dry, dusty pitch offering assistance to spin bowlers and minimising the effectiveness of England's seamers. It could have been Ahmedabad. It may well prove a similar story in the Test series this English summer. While conspiracy theorists like to imagine the powerbrokers of English cricket gathered in smoke-filled rooms plotting the downfall of the tourists, the truth is that, even if everyone involved could agree on the sort of pitch that suited them best, there is some doubt as to whether they could produce it. Most would agree that England's best hope of success might well be to produce lively, seaming wickets offering bounce and pace to the faster bowlers. They might also prefer not to provide much assistance to spinners. But such wickets are becoming hard to find in England. While there may be more pace, movement and bounce than is seen in India, there should be nothing to fear, with the pitches almost universally offering conditions that will favour batsmen. There are two major reasons for this. The first is that, with many of the grounds in England having recently redeveloped at great expense, they are desperate for Tests to last at least four and preferably five days. Several of these grounds are heavily in debt. They have had to fight to host these games - grounds as well-established as Edgbaston have missed out - and, with the competition to stage Test cricket growing by the year, they have to maximise the benefits. So even if the England management demand seam-friendly conditions, the grounds - and the groundsmen employed by the individual counties - will be understandably reluctant to prepare a surface that could bring about a three-day result and squander the chance of two days of ticket sales. Consider, for example, the recent Lord's Test against Sri Lanka. Staged in early June - six weeks before the Test against India - it was low, slow and encouraged little other than attritional cricket. There was little home advantage. Even if the England management could convince the counties to provide the pitches they require, though, there is some doubt whether they could do so successfully. In the last few years, all the major grounds have installed new drainage systems. This has been, to some extent, a great success: the time spent off the pitch after rain has been reduced greatly and the unsatisfactory days when full grounds had to wait in fine weather for grass to dry have all but gone. But there were unforeseen consequences. So quickly does the water drain, that it has become very difficult to retain any moisture in the pitch. While groundsmen can leave more grass on the wicket, there is little evidence to suggest they have found a way to prepare pitches that will remain lively throughout a Test. As a result, the surfaces may offer most assistance on the first day and could even convince England, with their relatively modest spin attack, to consider inserting India on occasions if they win the toss. In the last few seasons, the counties have experimented with the use - or absence - of the heavy roller. Heavily rolled pitches tended to die and produce relatively unedifying cricket, whereas the entertainment value of games where the heavy roller was outlawed increased. It was eventually concluded, however, that unrolled surfaces provided too much assistance to the bowlers and, in Test cricket, the heavy roller will continue to crush the life out of pitches. Atmospheric conditions may still prove a factor and there will be days, no doubt, when the ball swings. But this is an inexperienced England batting line-up - greener than any pitch - with an opening batsman as captain who is currently struggling for form. They are unlikely to risk exposing Alastair Cook's side to anything that will risk prolonging his grim run. India, in bringing six quicks plus a seam-bowling allrounder, will not rely solely on spin to trouble England. The days when international pitches in England offered excessive bounce and movement are largely gone. Conditions will, of course, vary from the subcontinent. But, this time, India have little to fear from England's pitches.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-india-2014/content/story/756913.html

[SLICKR392]

As I said earlier, we could expect some morning sessions or probably see a Day where the ball might nip around as expected in these conditions, but it isn't going to be as effective as it used to. ICF is hyping up the wicket in Trent Bridge to be a green deck, it could probably swing around with the new ball and settle down as the match progresses. The wickets in NZ are more effective than these English wickets nowadays. It's not all a bad choice to go in with 4 genuine seamers, but might turn out to be a silly tactic at the end of day, when the ball stops swinging and the pitch becomes suitable for the spinners like in the Test against SL. Some stats of spinners from the going-on County- Ajmal is the highest wicket taker. Adam Riley has 40 in 10 at 25.42. DA. Cosker (36) has 33 in 11 at 20.8. Whereas Siddle and Finn are having a much inferior tourney. Point is Ashwin could play ahead of a batsman, i.e- 3 seamers + Ashwin and Jadeja.

[Lord]

if its not a green top play 2 spinners.simple.

[adi B]

Don't know about others but pishant Will defo lead our toothless attack at TB .his place in the playing X1 is more secured than even Dale Steyn's in saf X1

[adi B]

Not a good news

[Vilander]

Based on the fact that he got 6 wickets in 2nd test against SA at Durban. Ashwin just doesnt have the consistency to get wickets other than on rank turners in India as yet. Ashwin played in 1st test against SA and completely botched it. He couldn't pick a single wicket and was the big reason why India couldn't finish SA's 2nd innings.

BS.

[Vilander]

none of the above. it should be 3 seamers + binny+ jadeja

[Texan]

Don't know about others but pishant Will defo lead our toothless attack at TB .his place in the playing X1 is more secured than even Dale Steyn's in saf X1

Sad, but true. Dhoni talks about Ishant as though he is the unluckiest person in the world, when the fact is exactly the opposite.

[fineleg]

Not a good news

This entire series is not a good news for fans. (though MSD hardly cares).

[Austin 3:!6]

So basically Bhuv Kumar will be useless.

[putrevus]

I would play ashwin plus 4 bowlers and omit one batsman that would help attack to take 20 wicket, even in india it was jadeja in Australia series helped to take 20 wickets , there was no ohja and ashwin were taking 20 wickets in all 4 tests then We need 5 bowlers 3 plus 2 spinners every match overseas.

[vvvslaxman]

So basically Bhuv Kumar will be useless.

:cantstop:

[Iconoclast]

I think both teams have made the mistake of not including a proper test quality spinner in their squads. Arrogant Cook in particular should not have neglected Monty considering how he turned the tide towards England during their latest tour of India.

[SLICKR392]

Yeah, surprised not to see Monty. He's not just the best spinner they got, but he's quality.