[NPV]

This is now running away quickly from India, almost 100 runs lead already for England. An extremely great second inning (chances for this extremely low based on form so far) and maybe rain are the only hope now to save this test for India.

[Chetan_Rao]

So where does this go from here?

Given the current state of the game and the weather forecast for days 4 & 5, we can reasonably rule out an England defeat.

If England want to push for a win, I'd guess they'll try to bat another hour and a half, get the lead to about 180-200, then put India in for a half hour or so, hoping there's enough play remaining in two rainy days to get 10 wickets and score a few if India manage to bat down the deficit.

[ToyotaFan]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

So where does this go from here?

England's healthy run rate doing them wonders. Not only wickets India have been unable to contain the English batsmen. In just 2 sessions India already have a 100+ deficit. Considering the good drainage at lords I believe if England declare today or get out there is a very high probability that we might get atleast 50-60 overs of play in the game which in helpful conditions should be enough for England to win the match. India will want torrential rains on both days as I feel that can be their only saviour.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

So where does this go from here?

Given the current state of the game and the weather forecast for days 4 & 5, we can reasonably rule out an England defeat.

Sorry to be a naysayer but I'm sensing a famous English win and a bad defeat for India (weather/rain gods permitting).
Will make it special for England as tests at Lords haven't been ending favourably for them in recent years.

*Everything seems to have gone wrong for India in this test - not reading the pitch correctly, wrong team selection, bad batting, ineffective bowling (won't blame the bowlers since it's the batsmen who've let them down repeatedly). On the same pitch, English batsmen are making merry, will be 2 centurions soon for them.

[vibbs]

Well there is only one way to go for this match and the series. That is an Indian defeat. There is simply no way the team can bounce back in this test and the series. Even in the last series India was most competitive in the first match and then it went southwards. Ditto this time. Difference being we lost the first match as well this time..

The age old saying of not trying to fix what is not broken was ignored by us and it can be seen as our bowlers are also now struggling. All we needed to do was to mend our batting and we ended up making changes to our bowling which was what brought us in the first match not withstanding Kohli's contribution.

[Chetan_Rao]

England probably missed a trick not putting India in for a bit at the end.

Nothing better than a few testing overs after tiring the opposition out in the field.

Most of tomorrow is forcasted a washout, probably part of Monday too. Can India survive ~70 overs if it comes to it? Unlikely on current evidence but nobody said winning (or saving a test) was easy.

Let's see.

[PPS]

All this yo-yo test & all is fine but what we urgently need on this tour is a sports psychologist ! Apart from most of our batsman having a flawed technique against the moving ball , what they're lacking is confidence,self belief & the gumption to fight.

Our bowling has been good but we've only bowled well in patches unlike Anderson & company who have consistently bowled in good areas & kept up the pressure. Bhuvi has been sorely missed in this series.

Too much chopping & changing in the side has affected the team i guess. We should play with the same set of 11-12 players (barring Pandya who should be dropped). If the likes of Shaw or Mayank Agarwal are drafted into the team, you cannot suddenly expect them to play well against Anderson & the likes!
Btw, not to forget England have had the best of conditions in this Test.

[vibbs]

Guys nothing is going to happen. Baring Kohli, the current batting line up is seriously short in talent to negotiate English conditions.

I see only one way this series can go now. A 5-0 whitewash with each match being lost by bigger margins than before!

[Eddy]

5-0 definitely looks on the cards, unless there are complete washouts. Kohli's back is not helping at all.

I think its high time to accept that we may never win in SA, Eng & Australia. NZ and WI remain the only hope for victories outside Asia.

[nkrishnap]

The coach is growing the belly and not the confidence among the team. Pathetic performance by the batsman.

[vibbs]

I am afraid this match will prolong Pandya's stay in the team further. He will play yet another lucky inconsequential innings and the team will carry him through till the end

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Eddy

5-0 definitely looks on the cards, unless there are complete washouts. Kohli's back is not helping at all.

I was looking up stats of India's test series results played in England and only once have they lost 0-5 which was way back in 1959, so if they do so again, it will be a brand new achievement in the era since their first test win in England in 1971!

Though Kohli may have played like a lone warrior, it is a team sport and he is the captain. Given that he runs the team singlehandedly (chooses the coach, support staff, squad, playing 11, et all), he must accept responsibility for the pathetic performance on this tour.

I shudder to think how much lower the team would perform on this tour going forward if Kohli (sore back) and Ashwin (fracture ?) were to end up being unable to play due to injuries.

*Our new found all rounder Pandya just got out

On the same pitch where England scored 396/7, India now struggles to reach 116/7!

[selfdrive]

What an embarrassment!
To lose within 3 days of play. In effect only 170 overs is actually 2 days of play.
Pathetic spineless; cannot even call it a performance. Debacle is more like it.

And to think we had hopes from this bunch of winning the series.
I shudder to think how much worse we can go in the remaining 3 tests and the Australian tour.
Not even a spark to take hope from.

[Ragavsr]

Originally Posted by vibbs

I am afraid this match will prolong Pandya's stay in the team further. He will play yet another lucky inconsequential innings and the team will carry him through till the end

I don't understand all the hate for Pandya. He has performed better than all the top order batsmen barring Kohli.

Vijay averages 6.5 with 26 runs in 4 innings.
Rahul averages 9.75 with 35 runs in 4 innings.
Karthik averages 5.25 with 26 runs in 4 innings.
Rahane averages 12 with 48 runs in 4 innings.

While Pandya averages 22.5 with 90 runs in 4 innings despite scoreboard pressure. Replacing him with what? Another top order batsman who is not only going to score less than half the runs and also won't bowl or take wickets.

The only thing that should be changed is the coach and the whole concept of Kohli controlling everything about the team.

Playing 2 spinners in England is as dumb as bringing an all pace attack to India.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

What an embarrassment!
To lose within 3 days of play. In effect only 170 overs is actually 2 days of play.
Pathetic spineless; cannot even call it a performance. Debacle is more like it.

And to think we had hopes from this bunch of winning the series.
I shudder to think how much worse we can go in the remaining 3 tests and the Australian tour.
Not even a spark to take hope from.

Even West Indies and Pakistan won a test each the last time they toured England. We have pretty much reached minnow levels.

But hey, a home series against the West Indies after the inevitable 0-5 here will cheer up the gullible fans. And there will be the IPL to look forward to after we get spanked in Australia too.