India in England, summer of 2021

[indiansportsfan]

Looks like just like me, the team management also has no confidence in Rahul/Mayank combo and asked for Shaw and Paddikal; but seems like Chetan Sharma and "BCCI" did not agree. https://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/b ... 210707.htm They continue to be stubbornly opposed to any replacements. I think we are headed for a tough time in England.

Also even though Rahane seems to be getting a free pass here, but I don't think he has done that well. The #5 batsman is expected to score a bulk of the runs because the ball is not doing that much by the time he comes out to bat, but Rahane hasn't been doing that consistently. I think we need a better #5, who is able to capitalize with the old ball. Washington may be somewhat better, but are there really no good middle order batsmen in the country anymore?

[Kumar]

Our entire batting lineup except Pant is getting a free pass. This is probably the worst batting lineup on paper since Sachin’s debut.
Kohli had a great chance to play a captain’s knock and once again he failed to deliver. Rahane’s first innings dismissal was just brutal.

I think this team needs infusion of youth in batting line up.

[prasen9]

Batsmen do not grow in a tree. We have been continuing with the failed Rohit, Rahul, Pujara (for the last 2-3 years except Australia which has batting pitches) etc. Rahane when he did not score for a while. Kohli shunted out the youngster Karun Nair. Okay, maybe he did not have the technique but whoever was the best youngster should have been tried after the Rahul experiment failed.

I would try Iyer for the next test series dropping whoever is the weakest link. Right now, I would drop Pujara, move Rahane up, and play Sundar at the MO.

[prasen9]

Pant has covid, which perhaps puts his participation in the Aug 6th match in jeopardy?

[jayakris]

^^ It seems he went and saw Euro football. Posted selfies showing he was wearing no masks, having fun at the stadium. Now he has Covid. That is terribly irresponsible. I have been stunned at the mindlessness of a such a huge fraction of humanity in the world, during Covid. I guess I had so much undeserved respect for human beings for generally being sensible. But I am forced to consider that I was wrong. People are mostly stupid, like they say.

[prasen9]

Pant is a known idiot. Another way of saying it is, he is young and reckless. His batting is like that. He gets away while batting due to his immense physical skills, hand-eye coordination, etc. This comes with being Pant. No surprise. These people instinctively do not have a good risk assessment module in their brain and are routinely over-optimistic. On the cricket field, players such as him or Sehwag or Prithvi or in earlier years Kapil or Srikkanth get away because of their talent where their over-optimism is perhaps closer to realism. But, in rest of real life where they are but mere mortals, they cannot escape reality. Was bound to happen. Kapil never thought he would be out when he went for that reckless shot, brought us a loss, and got banned by Gavaskar. Their mindset is such.

[jaydeep]

Yes, after him now, training assistant Dayanand Garani — have tested positive for the Covid-19 ... So after that, our 3 others team members; Wriddhiman Saha, Abhimanyu Easwaran and bowling coach B Arun, as they were identified as close contacts of Garani ... So all of them have been asked to confine themselves to their rooms for 10 days as a precaution.

Pant has already completed 8 days quarantine and they r planning is RT_PCR test in 2 days ... After 2 negative RT_PCR tests he can join with the team in Durham.

[Sin Hombre]

Pant was vaccinated in May and going for open-air sporting events in a country with very high vaccination rates like the UK isn't unreasonable at all.

[prasen9]

Makes sense if he was already vaccinated. Then, even if he is sick, it should be on the milder side. Which means we can expect him to play in the first test. We need him.

[prasen9]

Sin Hombre, what is your source of the information that Pant was vaccinated in May? This article seems to say that he was vaccinated in July 7th, which makes the positive test more likely because the immunity has not gone into effect. Then, the visits to the Euro games without masks is reckless to some extent. While masks are mostly to protect others, there is some evidence that it also protects the wearer a bit. So, I am now back to thinking that this is in line with Pant's reckless personality.

[Sin Hombre]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/ ... 90984.html

I had read the above and assumed he got his second shot in June but clearly he hadn't as per your article.

Agree that it was reckless.

[prasen9]

It is weird that these players on whom so much (both money-wise, and national pride, etc.) is riding were not vaccinated until so late and the BCCI did nothing to get them vaccinated. Vaccines are freely available in the western world in so much that I met people in Colombia who had flown to NYC, Philly, Miami, etc. to just get vaccinated. The ethics of vaccine tourism, etc. is a different question. But, given reality, Pant should have taken the second dose much earlier. Anyway, it is what it is. Here's wishing him and everyone else a quick recovery and whoever has not taken the vaccine yet, to do themselves and humanity a favor and get it, if it is accessible to you.

[prasen9]

Rahul scored a century in the first-class practice match. I do not know what the team management is thinking but they are certainly not thinking of him as an opener. They did not send him out after Rohit got out cheaply or after Mayank got out reasonably cheaply. I am delighted he got a century. I am not a big fan of Mayank as an opener in SENA countries. I am not a big fan of Rahul as an opener either but he and Rohit may be the best bet for now. Jadeja batted well too. Did batting get easier?

Clarification on previous posts. Pant is not the only person who got their second dose on July 7th. The whole Indian team got it then. So not his fault wrt late vaccination. But, since he was not fully vaccinated, he should have used a mask and physical distancing. Really, BCCI? They could not manage to get doses any earlier in the UK? Does anyone know how easy it is in the UK for foreigners to get vaccinated?

[Atithee]

Avesh Khan bowled for Chester? And, Pujara and Vihari had the worst SR. When will Pujara learn? Frustrating.

[PKBasu]

Umesh Yadav has 3/22 in 15 overs (vs Bumrah's 1/25 in 12 overs) in the match against the County Select XI. He has made a strong case for himself to be in the test XI. Jadeja has 1/21 in 8 overs, and Axar has 0/33 in 9 overs (after making a duck yesterday). Jadeja is yet again cementing his place in the test XI.