England v India | 5th Test (Rescheduled) | Edgbaston | Jul 01 - Jul 05 | Pre-game Discussion

[Robert]

So this long awaited match is nearly here.

Will ENG, rejuvenated under Key / B-Mac / Stokes be able to square the series?

Root is on career-best form, while Kohli is in a slump.

ENG appear to have partially solved their top three problems.

But they are still in an injury crisis with Mahmood, Wood, Stone, Woakes, Robinson and Archer all out.

What will happen? Should be another fine test match!

 

[Ab Fan]

England are favourites. They can go with four trundlers and win this match.

India generally do well vs fast bowlers and spinners but it is these 125-135 kph bowlers which they struggle.

All they need is play Curran and Moeen alongwith Anderson, Broad and the third pacer can be Robinson, Woakes or even the one they had recently. Leach would be a wrong move as Pant will take on him with quite ease so pick an office who can contribute 25-35 runs with bat.

England best XI :-

Crawley
Less
Pope
Root
Stokes
Bairstow
Foakes
Curran
Moeen/Third pacer
Broad
Anderson

 

[James]

India will be undercooked, England are at one of their fortress grounds & I think are favourites to nick this one unless they pick up a key injury in the meantime such as Stokes, Root, Broad, etc.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

England are hands down favourites for this one. Not sure e will even compete to be honest .

 

[Robert]

England are favourites. They can go with four trundlers and win this match.

India generally do well vs fast bowlers and spinners but it is these 125-135 kph bowlers which they struggle.

All they need is play Curran and Moeen alongwith Anderson, Broad and the third pacer can be Robinson, Woakes or even the one they had recently. Leach would be a wrong move as Pant will take on him with quite ease so pick an office who can contribute 25-35 runs with bat.

England best XI :-

Crawley
Less
Pope
Root
Stokes
Bairstow
Foakes
Curran
Moeen/Third pacer
Broad
Anderson

If everyone is available I think I would prefer:

Compton
Lees
Pope
Root
Bairstow
Stokes (c)
Foakes (w)
Moeen
Woakes (as good as Anderson in England, can bowl for a whole test, and can bat)
Robinson
Wood

Robbo and Woody to take the new ball.

 

[Bewal Express]

Ind will win against an inconsistent and pretty average England team

 

[Pakhs]

England are a very average test match team however they are trying to play a dangerous game which will result in some shock wins. They will be up and down under BAZ.

 

[Mesozoic]

Ahh the usual lame reverse jinxing lol. )

On a serious note, this is going to be a very tough assignment. England look settled and much better than they did last year. If Woakes comes back, they are pretty much covered in all departments.

Won't complain though. Playing a high pressure one off test in challenging conditions should be a valuable experience that should come in handy if and when they play the WTC final next year.

 

[Mesozoic]

If everyone is available I think I would prefer:

Compton
Lees
Pope
Root
Bairstow
Stokes (c)
Foakes (w)
Moeen
Woakes (as good as Anderson in England, can bowl for a whole test, and can bat)
Robinson
Wood

Robbo and Woody to take the new ball.

Sorry is this the same Compton that used to open with Cook for a while after Strauss' retirement? Or is there a new younger one in the ranks?

And didn't Moeen retire from red ball cricket?

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

What an opportunity that was to win against England in England last year but IPL was more important for our players.

 

[TheSultan]

England will wallop them. Shoulda played when Root and Silverwood were there. Now no chance

 

[James]

Sorry is this the same Compton that used to open with Cook for a while after Strauss' retirement? Or is there a new younger one in the ranks?

And didn't Moeen retire from red ball cricket?

Ben Compton.
You are referring to Nick Compton, who is Ben’s older cousin.
Ben is having a strong County Championship season as an opening batsman.

Moeen has now unretired.

 

[James]

India should have stayed the course last September and not let down the fans in England.

Last year India would have won the meet 3-1.

They now risk blowing altogether what could have been a potentially famous series win.

Prioritising the IPL ahead of Test cricket might not end well for them.

 

[Robert]

Ben Compton.
You are referring to Nick Compton, who is Ben’s older cousin.
Ben is having a strong County Championship season as an opening batsman.

Moeen has now unretired.

Six centuries in 17 FC games, average 68.

It geared on me that a Compton isn’t playing for Middlesex, but there you go.

Get him in the test side now.

 

[hitthestump]

Prioritising the IPL ahead of Test cricket might not end well for them.

Tell that to their accountants

 

[sweep_shot]

England are favorites because India have declined.

I have a feeling this game may turn out to be one-sided.

 

[Smbhayi]

If everyone is available I think I would prefer:

Compton
Lees
Pope
Root
Bairstow
Stokes (c)
Foakes (w)
Moeen
Woakes (as good as Anderson in England, can bowl for a whole test, and can bat)
Robinson
Wood

Robbo and Woody to take the new ball.

Isn't moeen retired from test cricket?

 

[Smbhayi]

By the way india should bring bhuvi for this one off match..

 

[James]

Isn't moeen retired from test cricket?

He has come out of retirement.

 

[jeetu]

This match has many parallels with Test Championship final , so i am expecting similar result. Its tough to win a test in a place like England without good match practice in those conditions.

 

[Ahmad-GERMANFC]

This match has many parallels with Test Championship final , so i am expecting similar result. Its tough to win a test in a place like England without good match practice in those conditions.

Also the England side overall looks a bit settled compared to last year

 

[docteurmanish]

Summer . Should favour india as less swing

 

[Mp812]

India will win this one . Chtesh pujara is in form and rahane is out of the team. Thats good sign. Bowlers r good

 

[Mesozoic]

Summer . Should favour india as less swing

Hain? It's "summer" everytime we tour England lol. Scratch that...its "summer" everytime England plays a home test. But still the ball swings a mile everytime.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

England are more or less settled. Or at least mentally they're in a much more better place than back then. And they're playing at home. So you guys have ticked off most boxes.

India will be missing KL and Ashwin most likely.

- Inexperienced opening pair in Rohit-Gill
- Rohit's inexperienced test captaincy, untested. Not sure how he will handle pacers.
- Kohli's form
- Rahane is out but Iyer in English conditions is a big suspect. If Vihari plays, he hasn't really done much overseas either.

only thing going for India is the seam attack. A fit Bumrah-Shami-Siraj and back in contention Hardik should cover the seam attack with Jadeja as sole spin option.

 

[shamaan]

I think the game is a 50-50