England v India 4th Test

[TopCat]

I think Cook will retire. Not sure Stokes will play next match if it's won either.

I think he should. I don't think he will. He and Jimmy will probably bow out after the Ashes next year (if Cook can hang on until then)

 

[Mr Redknapp]

Shami

Shami, leathered it.

 

[Comeback_Kenwyne]

Modern has absolutely bossed this game. He looks top class on this form.

People will say Smith deserves pelters for the Rashid selection - and he does if he persists with it now, the gap in class between him and Modern is huge even without the batting dimension.

But Modern needed a break. If he plays like his consistently makes a massive difference to our attack.

 

[chopsfc007]

The rumours are Denly will go to Sri Lanka, might get a go earlier

I suspect they might play Ali at 3 at the Oval with the series won

I'd keep Cook only because we go to Sri Lanka and Windies on dead pitches. I'd go 3 openers in the top 3 though.

Cook at 3, just to mix it up.

Hildreth is not a bad shout

Very good denly his leg spin is impressive

 

[Bri]

It's not great that Cook looks shot. Two new openers at once is a tough ask.

Even if he wasn't does he want to go on a winter tour.

Which is why they should pick those 2 to lay alongside Cook, assuming he plays.

 

[The Rat]

Surely Ali's role is really really simple. Don't overthink it

In England he bats 7 or 8 and is our sole spinner.

Abroad, we play a holding bowler like Leach, but if we need 2 spinners then he plays too

Surely?

 

[Comeback_Kenwyne]

Very good denly his leg spin is impressive

Well, one bonus is we can peddle Rashid.

 

[toosb]

So 3-1 v best team in the world without even playing well.

 

[chopsfc007]

Modern has absolutely bossed this game. He looks top class on this form.

People will say Smith deserves pelters for the Rashid selection - and he does if he persists with it now, the gap in class between him and Modern is huge even without the batting dimension.

But Modern needed a break. If he plays like his consistently makes a massive difference to our attack.

He's never consistent

 

[The Rat]

Very good denly his leg spin is impressive

Yeah really does, developed it from nowhere.

We don't need a Pope at the minute, we need a Colly basically,or a Ballance (type)

 

[Comeback_Kenwyne]

Surely Ali's role is really really simple. Don't overthink it

In England he bats 7 or 8 and is our sole spinner.

Abroad, we play a holding bowler like Leach, but if we need 2 spinners then he plays too

Surely?

Nah. We only play Leech when we need two spinners. We don't drop Ali abroad if we need one. He's changed his action, I think he'll be better now. Let's back him.

Yeah really does, developed it from nowhere.

We don't need a Pope at the minute, we need a Colly basically,or a Ballance (type)

What we need is a Jonathan Trott.

 

[TopCat]

Rashid will be dropped for 5th test I reckon. Bring in an extra batsman.

 

[Comeback_Kenwyne]

He's never consistent

He is very consistent actually, look at his averages. Consistently good in England, consistently shite abroad. Like Woakes.

 

[Bri]

It really is, get your best players in their best positions

its not rocket science

By having Root at 3 averaging a lot less than he normally does, we then need to find a number 4, which we can't find

So you have 2 problems instead of one
.

Exactly. Put round pegs in round holes.

Couldn't understand this cry for Bairstow opening. Says scrambled minds to me.

Do the obvious. Put players where they play best.

 

[Bungo Bill]

The rumours are Denly will go to Sri Lanka, might get a go earlier

I suspect they might play Ali at 3 at the Oval with the series won

I'd keep Cook only because we go to Sri Lanka and Windies on dead pitches. I'd go 3 openers in the top 3 though.

Cook at 3, just to mix it up.

Hildreth is not a bad shout

As Hildreth scores loads of runs at Taunton I presume he's a good player of spin, which will be vital in the winter.

 

[Comeback_Kenwyne]

Exactly. Put round pegs in round holes.

Couldn't understand this cry for Bairstow opening. Says scrambled minds to me.

Do the obvious. Put players where they play best.

This was in part my point to you about Buttler/Bairstow though. Buttler at five is a square peg, round hole.

 

[The Rat]

As Hildreth scores loads of runs at Taunton I presume he's a good player of spin, which will be vital in the winter.

Absolutely, I'm not against some experience just so we start to get some scores on the board

Personally think Stoneman was treated poorly too.

 

[Comeback_Kenwyne]

So 3-1 v best team in the world without even playing well.

Correction: without batting well. The bowlers have, once again, shown their class.

 

[TopCat]

Cook, Jennings, Ali, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler (w), Woakes, Curran, Broad, Anderson

Play Stokes as a batsman only if his knee isn't up to it.
Maybe bring Pope back and rest Jimmy or Broad if Stokes is fit enough to bowl?

 

[The Rat]

This was in part my point to you about Buttler/Bairstow though. Buttler at five is a square peg, round hole.

Why is it though? He has faced the most number of balls this summer and is our top scorer

Take away any pre-conceived conceptions you have, he has batted the most responsibility, why can't he bat 5? Because he can also keep wicket?

Bairstow averages 40+ at 7, Buttler has been averaging 50 odd batting 6