More to do with losing the toss than squad rotation. Archer was injured, otherwise would have played, and two of the replacements, Stone and Foakes, have performed very well.
I still think against arguably the best team in the world in their own backyard you should play your strongest team. As for the toss, Indian's spinners are far superior in those conditions, I'd expect them to win even batting 2nd...
Well they didn't win the first one, did they? What would our strongest team have been, would you say?
Will be interesting to see what the decision will be if an England batsman does as their player did and tuck his bat behind the pad and India appeal for lbw..... bar been set very low by umpires on deciding what constitutes playing a shot.....
The toss was pivotal, but 4 of our best players (imo) are missing. Archer through injury, plus Bairstow, Buttler and Anderson.
Well yeah, you could argue over what is actually our best eleven, but I don't think it's true to say that rotation has been our downfall in this Test. Foakes is probably our best 'keeper and has done well with the bat too, so I don't think we've been weakened there. Equally, Stones bowled really well. I think the only rotation question mark is over Anderson, but there's been no swing here, so he would probably have struggled to get a bowl, as Broad has. Bairstow is a strange one - unless he's going to open or keep wicket, I don't know where he'd play.
You asked. Bairstow at 3 maybe. As well as Foakes has played, Buttler is clearly much better. Archer is better than Stones and Anderson may have got reverse swing as Sharma did. Anyway, it was mainly the toss which decided it I agree.
I'm a big Buttler fan, but he's not as good a 'keeper as Foakes. How about this, fitting Bairstow in and with Buttler as a batsman.... Sibley Bairstow Pope Root Stokes Buttler Foakes Moeen Leach Archer Anderson
The 1st Test pitch was much better and England and Root especially batted far better. This pitch frankly is below Test standard and prepared for their spinners which is why I think they'd have won this either way. Anderson in form should have started, he's on a high and Broad historically hasn't been brilliant in India. Stone has done well as has Foakes who is a better keeper but Buttler can be a match winner with the bat. The decision to omit Bairstow was strange as he did well in Sri Lanka and could have carried that form into this series. Whenever the selectors decide to faff about with the batting order or need a 'filler' Bairstow seems to be the short straw. Our spinners are our weakness, neither are world class or offer the fear factor. Moen seems to be an in and out player another who can't nail a place. Root as a spinner actually offers something different with his lower arm but none of them scare the opposition...
That's not a bad line-up, Burns has been scratching about for form so that would solve the problem. Pope looks quality and if he could make No3 his own we'd look a lot sounder...
Well, England had a lovely flat green pitch at Lords in 2018 made for our seamers and won by an innings and a hundred and something over India, so we can’t really blame them for preparing a dusty turner for us. In both cases you can argue that it’s a test of batting technique and typical local conditions. Winning the toss was the big thing, but Rohit has been superb. It’s a difficult pitch for everyone. I see Agnew, Vaughan and Pietersen are saying it’s sub standard etc, but surely that can only be the case if both teams are out cheaply in all 4 innings? Otherwise it’s just one team handling conditions better than the other, partly because they are more used to them. It is a shame that the game has no chance of going anything near to five days though, hope this is a one off for the series.
India now nearly 400 runs ahead, with 4 wickets in hand and Kohli and Ashwin both well set with half centuries. Match should be done and dusted by the end of the 4th day.
Only 2 scores of note in India's 2nd innings, 4th highest score is extras.... It could be very messy very quickly when England bat again....
