England vs India 1st test debate

England side:

1) Andrew Strauss (C)
2) Alistair Cook
3) Jonathan Trott
4) Kevin Pietersen
5) Ian Bell
6) Eoin Morgan
7) Matt Prior (WK)
8) Stuart Broad
9) Graeme Swann
10) Chris Tremlett
11) James Anderson

India side.

1) Abhinav Makund
2) Gautam Gambhir
3) Rahul Dravid (WK)
4) Sachin Tendulkar
5) VVS Laxman
6) Suresh Raina
7) MS Dhoni (C)
8) Harbhajan Singh
9) Zaheer Khan
10) Praveen Kumar
11) Ishant Sharma

Should be a terrific match and series!

My Prediction: England to win

Series Prediction: 1-1

C'mon England!

I highly doubt Yuvraj will play over Raina

I think they'll play him because of the World Cup he had.

Hope Bresnan starts instead of Broad, but can't see it happening.

Rumour has it that Yuvraj will open in place of Mukund.

If this is the case, Yuvraj will be trying to do job that Sehwag does.

Raina will certainly play, he's the form man

Praveen Kumar will play ahead of Sreesanth.

i highly doubt yuvraj will open, also just cos he had a good world cup, dosent mean he will slot straight into the test side

If i'm wrong i'll change it in the morning.

cricketfan90 wrote:i highly doubt yuvraj will open, also just cos he had a good world cup, dosent mean he will slot straight into the test side

Dhoni wants both Yuvraj and Raina in his side.

He asked Dravid to open, which Dravid declined.

He probably wants both, as they will bowl decent spin, in case Harbhajan bowls rudey poo.

LeBron's Homie wrote:

cricketfan90 wrote:i highly doubt yuvraj will open, also just cos he had a good world cup, dosent mean he will slot straight into the test side

Dhoni wants both Yuvraj and Raina in his side.

He asked Dravid to open, which Dravid declined.

He probably wants both, as they will bowl decent spin, in case Harbhajan bowls rudey poo.

i dont think yuvraj, will be able to deal with the swinging ball if im honest, but also, sachin can bowl offies legies and medium pacers if need be

Will India not want Yuvraj in the team to get KP out?

lol if they are desperate :p

cricketfan90 wrote:

LeBron's Homie wrote:

cricketfan90 wrote:i highly doubt yuvraj will open, also just cos he had a good world cup, dosent mean he will slot straight into the test side

Dhoni wants both Yuvraj and Raina in his side.

He asked Dravid to open, which Dravid declined.

He probably wants both, as they will bowl decent spin, in case Harbhajan bowls rudey poo.

i dont think yuvraj, will be able to deal with the swinging ball if im honest, but also, sachin can bowl offies legies and medium pacers if need be

If Yuvraj wants to play, then he has to take the bull by the horns.

Raina is in fine form, so a middle order place isn't up for grabs.

Favour in that Pujara would've been in the squad ahead of Yuvraj, hadhe not been injured.

As the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers. (Not literally before anyone jumps down my throat).

Hoggy_Bear wrote:Will India not want Yuvraj in the team to get KP out?

It certainly mind games by Dhoni if Yuvraj is selected.

He will certainly bowl at KP as soon as he walks to the crease.

He did so in Mohali in 2008, and he has got KP in a Test before as well, may have been in Chennai 2008

im suprised ojha isnt in the squad

cricketfan90 wrote:im suprised ojha isnt in the squad

Ojha isn't good enough to play for India

Murali Kartik should be in the squad, he's World Class

kartik should play limited overs, and what i have seen from ojha when they played in india he was very good, he deserves a run..

cricketfan90 wrote:kartik should play limited overs, and what i have seen from ojha when they played in india he was very good, he deserves a run..

Kartik is the closest thing to Bishen Bedi India ever produced. Plus he's a fine fielder and decent with the bat. His flight, guile, turn and bounce is wonderful to watch.

Ojha doesn't turn the ball enough, he's dreadful in the field and pretty average with the bat.

i think kartik should play limited overs without a doubt, my opinon is ojha should play tests, and be given a run in the side, given a chance.

cricketfan90 wrote:i think kartik should play limited overs without a doubt, my opinon is ojha should play tests, and be given a run in the side, given a chance.

Ojha has played 8 Tests and averages 40 runs per wicket. That isn't good enough considering that Harbhajan is also struggling.

there's the point 8 tests, thats nothing nowadays, he needs to be given a run, there is too much chop and change in all sides atm..

cricketfan90 wrote:there's the point 8 tests, thats nothing nowadays, he needs to be given a run, there is too much chop and change in all sides atm..

Well its hardly unlikely he will be given 10-15 Tests as India will have played 4 consecutive tours away from home.

Places like South Africa, England and Australia aren't suited to two spinners. He may have got a go in the West Indies, but was rightly dropped for loss of form.

The next bowler in line, otherthan Mishra, is probably Ashwin

ashwin wont play test cricket, u said ojha dosent turn the ball enough, neither does ashwin, he only turns it slightly

VVS Laxman is one of the great middle order batsmen of recent years. Has he still got it in him to score 150?

yh

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:VVS Laxman is one of the great middle order batsmen of recent years. Has he still got it in him to score 150?

Against England I'm sure he'll be happy with an even 100, as he hasn't got one vs England.

I'm sure he's saving big one for Australia at the end of the year!!!

Here we are, morning of the first Test. Pretty damn excited.

Pretty excited here as well. Has anyone seen the weather forcast?

Not seen a weather forecast, but I am about 35 miles from Lords and looking out the window it is grey and miserable. If it is similar there it will be an on off day.

And on team selection I would go with Bresnan over Broad as it gives a better balance to the bowling attack and suits the conditions more in my opinion.

Cheers LCD, i wrote earlier that i would rather see Bresnan over Broad in this test as the Indians will target his bowling and temperament.

Perfect conditions for Jimmy.

India to be bowled out on day 1.

That would be good Clarke. Very important toss to win this one.

Hey, i just hit 1000 posts

Unless of course they win the toss and stick us in.

Morning all.

Inspection any mo - I think there'll be some play soon. It's brightening up a bit.

Broad ahead of Bresnan. No pressure then Broady.

Win the toss and put them in? First innings of first Test? Ooooh. Good toss to lose, methinks.

Actually, that's rubbish. You have to put them in on a day like today. Just feels mad to do that to the best batting line up in the world.

The weather is playing spoilsport yet again.

What a shame that the weather rears its ugly head again.

Good toss for Dhoni to win. Wont be the best of batting conditions

India put England in.

Probably the best shout on a day like this.

I will be very interested to see how Moggs goes in this test. I rate him highly as a ODI player but am still not convinced about him at test level.

Hiya msp. England batting. Ooof. Going to be a tough first couple of hours.

Weather still just ok here in SW London, but could easily be a spoilsport any second

Ach, in fairness it wouldnt be a test match in England if there was'nt some sort of delay

Very interesting discussion on Sky about the UDRS.

Ach, in fairness it wouldnt be a test match in England if there was'nt some sort of delay

We only do it to annoy, because we know it teases.

Morning all. Wise of them to put us in at Lords. Often leads to a win for the team who fields first.

What a treat BTW, don't normally get two epic summers on the bounce.

little bit of swing....

Lol Cowshot.

I cant watch the match but is there alot of movement like cricinfo says?

yeah quite alot of swing out there atm, especially from Kumar, Zaheer getting a bit

I'm listening, not watching. From behind the sofa.

Tense stuff. Blofeld hasn't really mentioned swing, but you'd expect some in these conditions.

Strauss still no run. Is Zaheer bowling well or Strauss being scratchy?

Cheers hodge, i worry about Strauss in swinging conditions.

think Strauss at the moment is in the mentallity of if he doesn't have to play it, leave it.

eirebilly wrote:Cheers hodge, i worry about Strauss in swinging conditions.

It was Cook who struggled last year with Pakistans bowling more than Strauss.
Neitehrs looking too great so far...but its a big ask for this Kumar lad to come in and use the conditions hes really got no experience in. The lack of build up games for India is exactly the sort of thing England reguallry use as an excuse for poor starts to a series. Khans been out for ages so you have to wonder if the opening morning of a first test is the place to be feeling your way back in.

All the same I would have rather seen England bowling at India in these conditions.