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If the entire first day is rained off, why not extend the match by a day to keep it a 5 day match? While I understand that a result is possible within 4 days, it makes sense to keep the option open in terms of logistics to provide better results and bring in more viewers.

If we move eventually to 4 day tests and then lose a day, we might as well forget about results in what would then be 3 day games.

Edit: Pujara in to bat in the 1st over; looks interesting already for England

I just watched Vijay's dismissal. How do you play that ball? It's like almost unplayable? It was coming in and swung out at the very last minute? Reverse swing? Cannot be so early, right?
With so many T20s being played these days, playing a test match, especially under these conditions, is becoming more and more tough for these guys.

Straight!

Any batting coach worth his salt (even mine at lowly school level) would drill that into your head on DAY ONE. You DO NOT play across the line until you've got your eye in and can read the swing.

This one pitched about middle, Vijay was committed to playing onside, then it moved a tiny bit away and he's nowhere behind the ball.

Good ball mind you, but schoolboy technique.

Yes. He was playing it to the on-side.
Two down now. Again batman playing a ball the wrong way. Rahul must have left that. Kohli has now almost opened in all these 3 innings now :Frustrati

Thanks for the gyan. I really appreciate that.
But you know what, most of the Indian players (current generation in particular) are good players of 'flick' and they try to play that shot at every given oppurtunity. They tend to forget that this is first day of the test match with the overcast conditions where Anderson and Broad can swing the ball at will!

Edit: Now Rahul gone. This is turning out to be a terrible conditions (for Indian players) to play!

I'm pretty sure this is me misreading tone in written form, but still wanted to say my previous post wasn't supposed to be preachy! Excuse me if it sounded that way.

The 'you/your' can be replaced with 'one/one's', it wasn't a personal comment directed at anyone in particular, except the supposedly international-level opener:).

I am sorry if my words sounded other way. I mean, I really appreciated what you wrote. I have played lot of cricket since i was kid till my college days, but it was always 'gully' cricket kind of stuff and never got any coaching information, be it bowling/batting/fielding.

No offence intended, none taken. Cheers!:thumbs up

When was the last time we got the team selection right on an away tour? I mean, this is just ridiculous.

Two spinners on these damp and swinging conditions, just wow. So our pace attack is basically Ishant, an over the hill Shami and a part timer Pandya, while England have four proper fast bowlers.

Our batting is going to flop again by the looks of it, but this time we are going to struggle to bowl them out as well.

Hope it keeps raining relentlessly for the next three days in London, that's the only way we can possibly get out of this mess.

@15/3 is it only Virat (Goliath) who can save us or can the rain gods also play an active role ? I was hoping this test doesn't end with England going 2-0 up in the series, but that's just selfish hope.

What magic has Pandya worked on the team's think-tank ? He seems to be a 100% sure-shot static feature in the test team!

God, save this test for India :D

That ad on TV keeps coming to mind hauntingly "is baar shirt uthregi ya..." And there's not much doubt how that will go!

Well, Goliath just ended up hitting a nail in the team coffin.
Lets hope for more rain; we will need at least 3 days rained off for feeling closer to safety.
Loss of Bhuvi sorely felt in such conditions.

The latest news is that the selectors got a big hike in their remuneration. Chief gets a 1Cr package.


I always felt their larger than life personas and heroic images precedes them. So it gets difficult to digest when reality bites in.

:uncontrol
I think you put it very aptly. Rain saving us will be only way out.

I have always believed in picking your best team. If that means u have to play 2 spinners on green top so be it.

I am waiting for a day when Ravi Shastri will be dropped. This batting debacle is a case of bad planning.

Remember how Tendulkar practiced for many weeks on broken pitches with leg spinners bowling leg stump line and then dominated Warne all thru his career! Has any current Indian batsmen given up IPL and instead played in English county ? Average ability players score Big runs in IPL. But playing for 1 hr in a tests against best bowlers is what separates class from mass.

That's not reverse, it's seam bowling my friend. Anderson is a master of the art. Reverse swing is a completely different thing which happens in the air. Seam is off the pitch. Here the ball changed direction after pitching.

Completely agreed! Apparently, the reason given by Virat at the toss was because the surface was dry hence Kuldeep was included.:Frustrati Thankfully rain has been forecast throughout the game so hopefully we should scrape through with a draw.

Don't know about Shastri but our batting coach Sanjay Bangar has to be answerable. I won't be surprised if he gets sacked & is made the scapegoat!