If we had have batted first on that wicket we would have still been slaughtered. We never got to grips with it and India did.
I was wondering if Stokes is fit enough for test cricket, in these 2 tests he's hardly bowled any overs and yes he will be rusty after being out with his personal issues but for me, if he's not bowling, should he be rested until he's up to speed and can bowl?
Seems strange when I watched the first day that the commentators were surprised that India picked 3 spin bowlers when everyone was expecting the pitch to seam and guess what happened................
Yeah so do I, phonics drives me mad. Son has day off today so he has taken over. Mind having to watch it with no sound!
Did the same with the Aussies a few year ago I think the game just got into the third day. Can you imagine if covid was not on the go and you had saved up and gone there for your hols to watch a test.
The ICC must look into the state of the pitch if this game is over in 2 days but since they did nothing about Kohli arguing with the umpire in the last match, I can't see it happening
There have been some under par performances from us, especially amongst the batsmen, and the fact that Joe Root was our star bowler says all you need to know about our bowling attack, the seamers were never going to be catered for, and to pick three and only one spinner played into there hands. The fact that we got back into it after that first day gives some hope that we may make a game of it in the last test and help out the Aussies at the same time, we live in hope.
What got me was that the Indian commentators were surprised that they picked 3 spinners for a wicket that everyone thought would favour the seam bowlers (and I even read in the papers take that as you will ) which is probably why England picked Anderson, Broad and Archer. Yes we haven't batted at all well in the last 2 tests, well 3 apart from Root in the first test! And all the confidence gained from the Sri Lanka series has totally disappeared I think. Chopping and changing the team from 1 series to the next hasn't helped and if players were going to go home after the Sri Lanka series what was the point in using it as a preparation for the India series? Think the management need to get their priorities straight in the run up to the Ashes and try and keep a settled side in the summer.
Very frustrating today. It's almost as if they decided "it's spinning too much, there's no way we can win" 2 wickets in the first 3 balls of the innings set the tone.
Batted like utter bellends. Sibleys shot was ****ing criminal. Never seen a test over inside of 2 days before mind. pitches not great although India managed to not lose a wicket in the 4th innings so pitch can’t be THAT bad. Although 20 odd wickets in 2 days is a very poor advert for test cricket.
Agree about Sibley (young player though) but regarding fourth innings no pressure just go out and swing the bat you might get lucky. Incidentaly England cannot now qualify for the test championship but India can - just saying like Edit : Need to add the loser today was test cricket how many epic games over the years have we had and this is served up. The covid situation dictated that the people of the world could do with entertainment and we got a 2 day test.
Just saw sky strap line, shortest test since 1935! Yes some very poor batting, especially by England. However the ruling bodies have to do something, the pitch was atrocious. Unless the ruling body is scared of upsetting India?
