[normally_crazy]

I would love to see 3 changes for the next test,

Get Yuvraj in for Mukand and get Dravid to open.
Get Sreesanth in for Zaheer (delicate doll that he is) - no Munaf please !
Get Mishra for Bhajji (tear his contract with BCCI)

[Eddy]

I don't agree with the first one. Dravid is our best batsman, so let us not disturb him from his favorite slot. He is reluctant to open, so let him be. He's always been there, so lets not take him for granted

[normally_crazy]

Well he is the only team man left from the big 3 who will do something like this (remember the wicket-keeping for the team cause in olden days ODI's and more recently the Lords test) - the other 2 always crib about batting better at specific positions. :(

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

I would love to see 3 changes for the next test,

Get Yuvraj in for Mukand and get Dravid to open.
Get Sreesanth in for Zaheer (delicate doll that he is) - no Munaf please !
Get Mishra for Bhajji (tear his contract with BCCI)

I would rather keep Mukund, as he seems promising. Besides, it isn't wise getting Dravid to open the innings. He is most comfortable at 3, and Mukund is a genuine opener who has shown a lot of promise in domestic events.

I would take Sreesanth in for Zaheer. We need 3 fast bowlers. Nothing else will do on English pitches. We had just 2 operational seemers in the previous match, and that's what did us in. We simply couldn't take 10 wickets in one innings.

I would also drop Bhajji, but take Yuvraj in his place. His experience, good record and his recent batting form will bolster the batting line-up, and he is pretty handy with the ball. And it's a known fact that the English batsmen are rather uncomfortable against left-arm spinners.

[Eddy]

@Suhaas: We've got to have a specialist spinner. Mishra would be my bet, but we all know that Bhajji will play :X

@n_c: He is the only batsman in form, too much of a risk if he fails. Besides, VVS is no great shakes against the swinging ball at # 3

[suhaas307]

True. We require one specialist spinner. Amit Mishra may not click, is my assumption.

So what is the final team for Trent Bridge? Have they announced the 11 member-squad yet?

EDIT: So Gambhir is doubtful. He doesn't seem to have recovered from the injury he sustained in the previous match. Dhoni will take a call tomorrow morning before the match starts on whether Gambhir will be fit enough for the 5 days. Do you think Sachin can open? He has opened before and has seen success.

[Eddy]

Can Sachin open ? Maybe yes.
Will Sachin open ? Definitely no.

[suhaas307]

Well said.

Looking at the number of injured players in our team, I think it's time BCCI puts an end to this IPL business. Or make it a once-in-2-years thing. How much flogging can our cricketers take?

[vamsi.kona]

It would be a great surprise if Harbhajan doesn't play. Every player has ups and downs, but what really bothers me is the attitude of these players during those phases. For them killer instinct means sledging and nothing more. I don't know how they couldn't observe how a Dravid, Kumble etc behaved during different phases. Kumble would bowl his heart out even if he didn't get single wicket. And never went overboard giving unneccessary statement and antiques when he got 5 or for that matter 10 wickets. I was shocked to read that Ishant didn't want to bowl after lunch!. What was he saving his energy for? After match party?. A few years back we had a Kumble in his thirties who had a fractured jaw and came back to bowl and took the wicket of Lara and here we have a 23 year old bowler who is in the midst of a beautifull spell and doesn't want to bowl after lunch break? So much for killer instinct and aggression.

A few years back I read an interview of Dravid. This was the time when the young guns were firing both on and off field. He was asked why he wasn't aggressive on field. For that Dravid answered that for him aggression means never to submit his wicket. Never to feel intimidated by the opposition. Never stop trying no matter the circumstance and facing every ball without fear.

India is missing Sehwag badly. He is another example of a player whose aggression is showcased by his play rather than words. He is one player in this generation who can literally change the complexion of the game in single session and put the opposition on backfoot.

I still don't understand why Ojha was ignored. He at least deserved a place in the squad.

[ghodlur]

India on a roll in the second test. England are already five players down for 88 runs with Sreesanth, Praveen Kumar picking up two wickets and Ishant picking the fifith one. Good going so far by the Indian team, really would hope they will wrap up England team before the end of days play.

Edit: 6th wicket down.

[karanraheja]

England in trouble at 124/8 , thanks to good bowling from India and over confidence after win from England. Its upto our batsmen to take it from here and lets hope we do see Sachin in headlines in day after s papers .

[vamsi.kona]

there seems to be a mouth watering contest on plate for tomorrow. The test of skill and grit against some superb seam and swing bowling.

[prateekm]

What was that? As FakingNews updated it's FB status, looks like Broad took the revenge for the 6 sixers Anyways, that was pathetic. Hope that we at least bowl decently and have ~250 to chase in the final innings.

[PPS]

What's the use of Hot-spot if the lbw decision cant be reviewed ?? Harbhajan had clearly nicked the ball, could have easily denied the hattrick !
Match is excitingly poised though. Dravid played a super knock but he cant be expected to do the same in every innings! Lets hope its a Tendulkar special in the 4th Innings.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by PPS

Lets hope its a Tendulkar special in the 4th Innings.

Let's hope for that.

Tendulkar's 2nd Innings record isn't too great.

Back to the match.

Yet again, we've thrown our advantage away. At Lords, we could have had the game when England were 50 for 5 in their 2nd Innings, but we threw it away. At Trent Bridge, we were leading by 52 with 6 wickets in hand. Yuvraj and Dravid could have put up another 100 runs at the very least. But we threw it away, yet again. We need to convert these advantages into something substantial.

At the end of the day, England will lead by 1 or maybe 2, and what actually transpired in the match will be forgotten.