India in England, summer of 2021

[PKBasu]

The emerging consensus seems to be that Kohli will bat at #3 in tests, and a more attacking batsman will come into the middle order. The current favourite seems to be Rahul, although I don't see how we can keep a man with a test batting average of 66.25 (Sundar) out of the side. He made 96* in a winning cause in his last test innings too.

[Atithee]

Because Sundar is not considered a specialist batsman. In England, the need for our bowlers to bat will be even more critical. We also need solid technique upfront. I’m not sure Rohit and Gill are the openers we need. If you ask me, I’d ask Pujara and Rahane to open, and Gill to swap place with Rahane. Kohli should stay where he is. Rohit needs to be swapped for our best specialist middle order bat. If it’s Vihari, so be it.

And, Thakur must play instead of any of Ishant, Bumrah, or Shami because he wants to bat responsibly. Dropping Bumrah to send a message wouldn’t be a bad thing to do.

[prasen9]

All of that is on paper. On the cricket field, Sundar has showed he bats like a specialist batsman and has done way better than a whole bunch of folks. Going from failure to failure is not a great idea. This is another way to bring back Rahul even though he has done diddly squat against the red ball. In essence, this team has stagnated because we go with a coterie, Kohli+Shastri and their blue-eyed boys Rohit and Rahul. We need new blood and not recirculate old failures.

[Sin Hombre]

Has Kohli been sacked?

One of India's most embarassing test defeats.

So many riches of talent, as was shown by Rahane at Gabba, and Kohli's team chokes again when they needed to bat an extra 10 overs to share win the WTC.

8 years of ICC tournament failures, with India's deepest ever team.

[indiansportsfan]

I tend to disagree. I don't think we have a particularly great bowling attack, and our batting is also not that great for such conditions. On the bowling side, we lack a good left armer and our bowlers cannot take advantage of helpful conditions the way English and NZ bowlers can. We do have some fast bowling reserves but that serves no good if the 1st XI isn't that great. Our depth on the spin bowling and batting side isn't that great. We are lacking a good middle order option to replace Pujara.

[prasen9]

A lot of what you said is true only in SEN conditions. Australia has, in the last decade, become batting wickets with little swing available. So, we can bat there. Our bowling is fine. Our batting is what is fragile because we will not move the old guys.

[Atithee]

Our bowling is not fine. We are not skilled as other fast bowlers. The difference was glaring in WTC.

[indiansportsfan]

Our bowling may be"fine" but it is no better than the middle of the pack, definitely below ENG and NZ in swinging conditions, and below AUS and RSA in general. May also be considered inferior to PAK. The only saving grace is Ashwin, who may be considered the best spinner in the world at the moment.

[indiansportsfan]

The biggest concern I see right now is that the best option to replace Pujara is Vihari, which says something about our middle order depth.

[prasen9]

The best option is to push up Rahane and play Sundar as the #5. Or Pant at #5 and Sundar is #6. Or, Pant, Jadeja, Sundar.

[Atithee]

So, Gill is “injured” and in danger of missing the entire series. How convenient!

[indiansportsfan]

Convenient for Gill or for Indian team? I think this is terrible news for us. I don't have any confidence in the possible replacements Mayank/Rahul. Gill in my mind has been much better than Mayank/Rahul, he just needs to work out a few things. Shaw/Paddikal (in that order) would have been my choice to replace him, but unfortunately the selectors don't think so. I think we are going to have a tough time.

[Sin Hombre]

I tend to disagree. I don't think we have a particularly great bowling attack, and our batting is also not that great for such conditions. On the bowling side, we lack a good left armer and our bowlers cannot take advantage of helpful conditions the way English and NZ bowlers can. We do have some fast bowling reserves but that serves no good if the 1st XI isn't that great. Our depth on the spin bowling and batting side isn't that great. We are lacking a good middle order option to replace Pujara.

I disagree about this.

NZ is the best bowling attack out there in swing conditions, and they fully outplayed England in the series just concluded (and everyone else at home previously). Using the WTC to suddenly put our attack behind the likes of Aus, Eng, SA, Pak is just silly imo.

And for this WTC test, after multiple days of rain, foolish Kohli chose 2 spinners and Bumrah who may or may not be struggling with injury. Replace Jadeja and Bumrah with Bhuvi and Siraj and we would all be singing a different tune.

Ashwin is our best spin bowler in 3-4 decades.


The only thing I would give you re our bowling is on non-spinning wickets, our bowlers are not as effective in cleaning up the tail.

[Atithee]

Convenient for Gill or for Indian team?

For the selectors.

[prasen9]

Convenient for Gill or for Indian team? I think this is terrible news for us. I don't have any confidence in the possible replacements Mayank/Rahul. Gill in my mind has been much better than Mayank/Rahul, he just needs to work out a few things. Shaw/Paddikal (in that order) would have been my choice to replace him, but unfortunately the selectors don't think so. I think we are going to have a tough time.

Gill has certainly looked better than Mayank abroad. And, Shaw. Rahul looked good and then bad. He, maybe is a bunny on bouncy wickets but handles swing slightly only slightly better but not adequately enough. Gill needed to work on his technique and tighten things up. Bottom-line is that we have zero good openers. Rohit himself is shaky. As is Gill and Rahul. Make it that we do not have good batsmen for swinging conditions except Kohli and maybe Rahane. Maybe Pant. That's it.

Sin Hombre, Jadeja was played as a batsman at the WTC because we do not have good batsmen. Even with Bhuvi and Shiraj, you do not win, if your batsmen cannot last a few sessions.