England v India | 4th Test | The Oval | Sep 02 - Sep 06, 2021 | Pre-match discussion

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Don't think India will collapse again like they did in the third test of this series. Expecting a hundred from Rohit and at least a 50 from KL Rahul in the next inning. If middle order does well then Pant will also do well. I will also send Pant above Vihari. My preferred XI

Rohit
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Pant
Vihari
Ashwin
Thakur
Shami
Bumrah
Siraj

 

[sharmaji]

So you are going with 5 batsmen + Keeper?

I think we need 6 batsmen.

Don't think India will collapse again like they did in the third test of this series. Expecting a hundred from Rohit and at least a 50 from KL Rahul in the next inning. If middle order does well then Pant will also do well. I will also send Pant above Vihari. My preferred XI

Rohit
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Pant
Vihari
Ashwin
Thakur
Shami
Bumrah
Siraj

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

So you are going with 5 batsmen + Keeper?

I think we need 6 batsmen.

Do you not consider Pant as a batsman? Ashwin and Thakur can also bat.

 

[Robert]

Why would you bring a spinner v India?Wood is a good option.

Oval usually takes spin, and Leach has a good record against India albeit on those ultra-Bunsens where even Root took 5-8.

 

[Ab Fan]

<B>Oval usually takes spin</B>, and Leach has a good record against India albeit on those ultra-Bunsens where even Root took 5-8.

Yet we haven't won a test match in Oval in last 50 years.

 

[sharmaji]

I am not very happy with how Pant has batted in this series, so I won't consider him a proper batsman right now. Thakur, for all his enthusiasm, is a bits and pieces allrounder, decent with ball but not very reliable with bat. Maybe Jadeja could be considered a proper bat, given how he is batting, and he can compete with Vihari for the no.6 position.

We lost the last match because of our batting (which has been a weakness throughout this series) and wrong selection of bowling attack (Ashwin should have been in the XI).

Do you not consider Pant as a batsman? Ashwin and Thakur can also bat.

 

[OMB]

Don't think India will collapse again like they did in the third test of this series. Expecting a hundred from Rohit and at least a 50 from KL Rahul in the next inning. If middle order does well then Pant will also do well. I will also send Pant above Vihari. My preferred XI

Rohit
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Pant
Vihari
Ashwin
Thakur
Shami
Bumrah
Siraj

This looks like a good team now.
Shardul will be a great addition as that lends strength to our batting too. Even Vihari preferable in place of Rahane considering the long term team strategy.

Notice that we all have stopped taking about Pujara now..escaped yet again?

 

[Robert]

As much as he is our ATG and the team’s joint MVP alongside Root, it seems sensible to rest Anderson here and then rotate him back in for the final Test. Robinson and Woakes are more than good enough to share the new ball for England.

Bottom six should be…

Bairstow (W)
Moeen
Woakes (huge reassurance)
Overton
Robbo
Wood

If it spins later on, can Root do a job with Moeen or do we need Leach?

 

[OMB]

‘They were bowled out for 36 in Adelaide but came back to pull off a famous series win’: Nasser Hussain warns England

In his latest column for The Telegraph, Hussain appreciated the intent shown by India in the series so far and reminded the hosts of the way India came back after the Adelaide debacle in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year.

Joe Root-led England bounced back in the ongoing five-match series after experiencing a stunning defeat in the second Test at Lord’s. They beat India by an innings and 76 runs in the third Test to level the five-match series 1-1. As the home team shifts its focus to the fourth match at the Oval in London, former captain Nasser Hussain has warned Root & co. not to write India off the hosts after win at Headingley.

In his latest column for The Telegraph, Hussain appreciated the intent shown by India in the series so far and reminded the hosts of the way India came back after the Adelaide debacle in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year.

“At Headingley, England swung the ball round corners. Skilful as India's seam bowlers are they did not swing the ball at all.

“But the last thing England must do now is think they have done the hard work and write India off ahead of Thursday's fourth Test in south London and the final match at Old Trafford — grounds which should suit their attack better.

“Remember, they were bowled out for 36 by Australia in Adelaide late last year but came back to pull off a famous series win. And after Kohli had gone home, too,” Hussain wrote.

The former England captain also asserted that Team India has the strength to comeback strong even if their captain – Virat Kohli – is not in a great vein of form.

“India do have a lot of strength of character and fight, and central to that is their captain, even though Kohli has looked more like the 2014 version rather than the one who conquered English conditions and England's attack in 2018,” Hussain wrote further.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/they-were-bowled-out-for-36-in-adelaide-but-came-back-to-pull-off-a-famous-series-win-nasser-hussain-warns-england-101630378458596.html

 

[MenInG]

Joe Root has called for a "ruthless" approach from his England side when the Test series against India resumes level at 1-1 at The Oval on Thursday.

The hosts squared the five-match series with an innings victory in the third Test at Headingley, wrestling the momentum back from an India side who had won at Lord's in the aggressive style which has become their trademark under Virat Kohli's leadership.

England's bowlers were accused of getting drawn into a macho battle ill-suited to their skills in that game, and ahead of the fourth Test Root stressed the importance of piling on the pressure at The Oval on their own terms.

"[India] are a world-class side led by Virat," the England captain said at his media conference on Tuesday. "I expect nothing less than a response. We'd be naive to think otherwise.

"That's why it's really important we don't get too comfortable, that we don't think we've achieved anything to this point.

England captain Joe Root thinks India will be very motivated after their innings defeat at Headingley and says his side need to be ruthless in the fourth Test this week at The Oval.

"We've just got ourselves back to level playing. We have to now look to work even harder, and if we find ourselves ahead of the game we get ruthless again and really drive that winning position home.

"As a team, one thing we took away from [Lord's] is we have to be the best version of our team. We do things our way, we don't get sucked in to playing anyone else's game and we go about things in our own manner.

"We did that in a perfect response at Headingley, and it's really important we remember that. That's when we play our best cricket."

England's discipline with the ball was the foundation of their Leeds success, and their options in that department have been strengthened further by the return to the squad of Mark Wood and Chris Woakes.

Wood missed the third Test with a shoulder injury, while a combination of factors has kept Woakes out of the five-day side for a year.

Root said a decision on any changes would be made after a check on pitch conditions and the physical state of those who played in the last Test, but welcomed the return of Woakes in particular.

He said: "You come off a win like last week and there's continuity of confidence and trying to replicate a similar performance, but you're trying to balance that and make sure you don't blow someone out and injure someone.

"It's really tricky and something we'll have to weigh up really well and get right."

"The last year or so has been a nightmare for [Woakes]," he added. "Whether it be Covid that's kept him out as a close contact, or a freak injury coming down the stairs. It feels like he's not played a huge amount, but when he has played he's been as good as he ever has been.

"He was our best player last summer, so to have him back around things is great."

In the batting line-up, there is a straight choice between Essex's Dan Lawrence and Ollie Pope of Surrey, who could be recalled on his home ground with Jos Buttler absent.

"It's an interesting one. They are two wonderful players who offer a huge amount to English cricket," Root said. "It will be something we look to consider over the coming days.

Jonny Bairstow will keep wicket at The Oval in place of Buttler, who misses the game to attend the birth of his child, but Root rejected suggestions Buttler might choose to focus solely on white-ball cricket moving forward - particularly with his participation in the winter Ashes series in doubt.

He said: "I see someone that's desperate to perform well in the Test arena. He loves the Test game and he's a big part of our team. As far as I'm concerned hope it's an enjoyable week for him and extremely memorable."

Pressed for the latest on the Ashes, as preparations continue against the backdrop of the pandemic and shifting rules on quarantine in Australia, Root said: "They are conversations we will have with the ECB.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

All-rounder Moeen Ali has been named as England Test vice-captain for the fourth LV= Insurance Test match against India at the Kia Oval starting on Thursday.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Would be more sensible to rest Anderson for the final test instead of the sort of decider 4th.

A combo of fit and firing Woakes with Anderson would be a joy to watch. Pope should do better than Buttler at no.6. Pope has a knack of counter punching innings in FC.
Batting first should be the key.

 

[MenInG]

Prasidh Krishna added to India’s squad

The All-India Senior Selection Committee - based on the request of the team management - has added fast bowler Prasidh Krishna to India’s squad for the fourth Test.

Prasidh, who was on the standby list has been training and travelling with Team India right from the start of the tour. The upcoming Test will be played at The Oval, London from 2nd September.

India’s squad for the fourth Test: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Prasidh Krishna

Standby player: Arzan Nagwaswalla

 

[James]

Bottom six should be…

Bairstow (W)
Moeen
Woakes (huge reassurance)
Overton
Robbo
Wood

If it spins later on, can Root do a job with Moeen or do we need Leach?

Root is an underrated spin bowler, but I would have liked to see Leach in the squad at least.

Getting Woakes back in as our number eight batsman will be a huge boost. He’s been missed. He has the potential to be a genuine bowling all rounder in Tests.

 

[Robert]

Root is an underrated spin bowler, but I would have liked to see Leach in the squad at least.

Getting Woakes back in as our number eight batsman will be a huge boost. He’s been missed. He has the potential to be a genuine bowling all rounder in Tests.

In England, Woakes is just as good as Sean Pollock. He has another test hundred in him and hopefully gets it at the Oval.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Surely India drop Rahane tomorrow and bring back Ashwin for one of the pacers.

 

[MenInG]

India head coach Ravi Shastri would like his team to take inspiration from its Lord's Test win rather than think about the humiliating defeat at Leeds ahead of the fourth Test against England, starting at The Oval in London on Thursday.

Shastri admitted that getting out for 78 on the first day became decisive in the final context of the third Test but the series is still "wide open".

"It's very easy, you just go back to Lord's. Just think Lord's, forget the last one. As simple as that. I know it's easier said than done but we should remember your good moments as well. Such things happen in the game," Shastri told 'Times Now Navbharat' while promoting his new book 'Stargazing'.

Shastri spoke about how one should take the positives from the Lord's Test where they were in a weaker position at the start of the fifth day before turning the tables.

"England was in the driver's seat and we snatched victory. In the last Test match, they bowled brilliantly. They caught us on the hop on the very first day of the Test match, they put us on the back foot," Shastri stated.

The head coach was happy that India batted better in the second essay when they managed to score 278.

"Even though we showed glimpses of a fight in the second innings, I think that first, you know, early dismissal of our players and getting all out for 78 played its part. But this series is wide open."

In his inimitable style, the former India all-rounder said that anyone which discounts Virat Kohli and his men should do so at their own peril.

"If anyone thinks that this Indian team is going to back off, they have another one coming because at 1-1, we are playing overseas, the pressure is on England.

They have to win in their own country. We have done what we had to do with them in India. So, the ball is in their court and we will fight, there's no question about it."

https://www.outlookindia.com/websit...and-vs-india-series-is-still-wide-open/393342

 

[Swashbuckler]

I want-

Rohit
Rahul
Vihari
Kohli (since he is undroppable)
SKY
Jadeja
Pant
Ashwin
Thakur
Bumrah
Shami

But we will see only one change, Thakur in place of unfit Ishant.

 

[Rajdeep]

Should play this team:

Rohit
Shaw
Pujara
Kohli
Rahul
Pant
Ashwin
Shardul
Bumrah
Shami
Umesh

 

[sharmaji]

I like this team. I wish the team management could select this XI.

Everyone's saying that Ashwin might play tomorrow in Ishant's/Jadeja's place.

I want-

Rohit
Rahul
Vihari
Kohli (since he is undroppable)
SKY
Jadeja
Pant
Ashwin
Thakur
Bumrah
Shami

But we will see only one change, Thakur in place of unfit Ishant.

 

[PakLFC]

England will be favourites for this match. Weather is not looking too clever for day 4 and 5. This will cause major problems.