Paddy O'Dors
Striker
I couldn't see Sibley scoring 12k plus runs if he played every test til he's 40 tbh.
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England v India (Third Test) Headingley
- Thread starter The Truth
- Start date
I couldn't see Sibley scoring 12k plus runs if he played every test til he's 40 tbh.
TravellingMackem
Winger
Root really is some player to watch when he’s in form, looks so easy for him and looks like he can score off every single ball too
Before this innings, Joe Root averages 67.21 in 2021 with 5 centuries
Despite the Indian pitches and an average NZ series
some form
Despite the Indian pitches and an average NZ series
some form
Comeback_Kenwyne
Striker
Technically, he has the game to do well in England as an opener - which is arguably the hardest place to open in the world.
He plays the ball late, has lovely soft hands, a very solid defensive technique built on no hesitancy coming forward (a bigger stride would be ideal, but picking at micro-faults really), not too many moving parts, strong off his legs, strong against anything pitched too short, especially with the square cut. You'd want to see a little more acceleration and a little more on the drive - but can understand why he put those shots away given context and fact probably not his natural scoring areas. And he's young - he'll learn! In fact, he is quite a similar batsman to Cook really, so the shot for him to add, as Cook did, is the drive - punch or leaned, when in great form - down the ground. That'll give him a better wheel without getting him fishing outside off too much, if he doesn't feel comfortable playing the higher-risk drives like cover drive (which is very sensible for an Engligh opener, imo leave that to the middle order masters like Root).
One suspects that for him the game will always be more in the mind than with his technique. I don't know what happened to him at Lancs, but it must have been mental, his technique is very strong really. That makes you always nervous for him - I'm even nervous now that he might beat himself up for not getting the ton, rather than focus on a masterful knock that has taken the game utterly away from India and provided us (along with Burns) with the sort of platform we haven't had for f***ing years. The ball that got him was a f***ing beauty too, sometimes the bowler just gets you out.
The lad is averaging over 40 in test cricket now and hope people get behind him. Some of the comments on this board for his golden duck last match were embarrassing. I don't like to start fights on here - its not Pure Football - but really they were good posters who should have known better.
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Comeback_Kenwyne
Striker
He was tailing off and looking like the worst of the other claimants to best batsmen in the world - Smith, Kohli and Williamson.
This season he's put him close to the top again, must be getting close ranking-wise. He's a bit like Kohli in that there is this lingering question that Kohli is suspect in this country - there is a question about Root in Australia imo, against top class express pace. But everywhere else - he's a genius and he is probably already the best player of spin in the world, which is incredible really given how much the administrators in this country set us up to fail versus spin.
And never got out!
TravellingMackem
Winger
Never claimed he would. Merely that there are certain similarities between him and cook, and cook wasn’t the most talented by any means but worked very hard on his game and was so disciplined. No reason Sibley couldn’t go away and do similar and then come back a decent test match opener. Especially since the bar to get him back in the team is very low at the moment
Still has another 4 tests this year to play too, could be some year for the lad if all keeps going on this path
smith the only player Above Root for me
you have to consider where root plays and how much responsibility he has had with our batting troubles. Smith just has that extra ability to bat for longer; or he has so far.
Kohli and awilliamson are great players but Root is better for me. To have his record playing in England is remarkable
also he’s just really really enjoyable to watch
worth the entrance fee
TravellingMackem
Winger
Pressure looks very much off him today for the very first time in probably forever. 146 lead with 8 wickets left and he comes in with a lead of 80 or whatever it was, he looks so free to play his game now and it all seems to be benefitting him. Imagine how good he would have been in a good team - batting behind trott in that 2011 team for instance
Bears Beets
Striker
Brilliant viewing this, watching Kohli fume
or even Pujara, albeit not in this series.
scotch
Striker
5 tests not 4 isn't it
rentaghost
Striker
For me Smith leads and there’s nothing between the other 3. They all have great records built over a long period of time. It was wrong when people were saying Root wasn’t as good as the other 3 when he was going through a relatively poor period and probably wrong to say he is better than them when he’s in the form of his life. He’s class and they are class IMO.
TravellingMackem
Winger
2 here and 2 in aus isnt it? Not including this one of course.
Edit: you are right, 3 in aus. Didn’t realise it started that early
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scotch
Striker
3 tests in oz
I know what you’re saying
it’s all debate
I just don’t think enough people take into consideration how harder it is to play half your cricket in England
those pitches in NZ for example and remarkably flat to the point a lot of the cricket is terrible to watch.
What a shot Malan
scotch
Striker
In tests its Smith
In short form it's Kohli
Across all formats I give Williamson the slightest edge over Root (not if Root keeps this form for another 12 months mind)
It's why Cooks average 45/46 is worth another 5 runs imo being a) opener and b) playing in England
Roooooooootttttttt double it now
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