[TorqueyTechie]

Its overcast, rained a little and windy today here. Should see how Pant, Ashwin play today against a ball which is just 7 overs old and Anderson & co refreshed. Anything around 400 is a good total I feel.

[suhaas307]

Incredible come back by India this innings! Pandya gets a 5fer! Almost everyone on this thread left him out of their respective playing 11s.

It's important India keeps this intensity and convert this into a win! 400+ will be a good score in my opinion. Let's see how things pan out!

[Ragavsr]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

It's important India keeps this intensity and convert this into a win! 400+ will be a good score in my opinion. Let's see how things pan out!

I had been vigorously defending Pandya on this thread saying he had made the second most runs.

However, he has been a revelation with a ball proving his all round skills and balance to the team.

[hemanth.anand]

I was out on the road yesterday and I hadn't watched or even follwed yesterday's play till I returned home at 22:30 and I was in for a pleasant surprise when I saw India batting with a score of 81-1. Opened cricbuzz on phone and what I saw was even more surprising-Pandya with five for! Hope and wish he continues like this... India are very strongly placed in this test. Hope they don't throw it away.

[Santoshbhat]

What a session that second one turned out to be! from 46 for no loss to 161 all out! I could not catch live action much but heard the Sanjay Manjrekar saying that the skies turned overcast and the ball started swinging and darting off the pitch. He was even wondering how could clouds in the sky make the pitch on the ground behave differently? This factor has played an important role in the series so far. Whenever the sun is out batting seems a lot easier.

Really impressed with the way the batsmen applied themselves in the second innings. Great comeback from the dumps The ball was swinging and moving off the pitch and for the first time I saw the batsmen batting like it was a test match. Seeing the good balls off and yet being positive and putting away the bad balls. The Englishmen were looking nervous. Just hope the bowlers can now finish them off for a famous win.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by Ragavsr

I had been vigorously defending Pandya on this thread saying he had made the second most runs.

However, he has been a revelation with a ball proving his all round skills and balance to the team.

Yes. If you take a look at his figures this series, he seems to be making an effort with both ball and bat. He may not have been spectacular, but to expect extraordinary things from someone like Pandya during his maiden (?) Test series abroad whilst giving a long rope to the grossly underperforming and crumbling top and middle order is not fair.

If it were up to me, I would persist with Pandya in tests, and leave Jadeja for the T20s.

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

I was out on the road yesterday and I hadn't watched or even follwed yesterday's play till I returned home at 22:30 and I was in for a pleasant surprise when I saw India batting with a score of 81-1. Opened cricbuzz on phone and what I saw was even more surprising-Pandya with five for! Hope and wish he continues like this... India are very strongly placed in this test. Hope they don't throw it away.

Ditto!

I was in for a surprise when I opened CricInfo to see England at 128/9!

India are in a position that is arguably a stronger one than in the first test, but we have a nasty habit of throwing it away, a la the first test. Was absolutely heartbroken for Kohli when we lost it by 30 odd runs. It's a test we should have won!

Think about it, we would be 2-1 in this test series, assuming we win this one.

C'mon India! Don't throw this away. Apply yourselves and see it through.

[redcruiser]

Guys did anyone hear what Micheal holding said yesterday. It has been the talk in my various watsapp group. Unfortunately I missed it.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

I could not catch live action much but heard the Sanjay Manjrekar saying that the skies turned overcast and the ball started swinging and darting off the pitch.

Pandya bowled a lot fuller length thus getting the ball to swing. He usually isn't a swing bowler but more hit the deck kinda bowler. I would also say it was a matter of bit of luck because Ashwin was off the field with a niggle forcing Virat to go with Pandya.

Originally Posted by redcruiser

Guys did anyone hear what Micheal holding said yesterday.

What Holding said makes perfect sense. That Pandya is not good enough to bat at 6. He is better of at 8. And that he needs to be given a proper spell to give himself a chance to pick up few wickets.

[hemanth.anand]

With 200 runs in 2 tests, Kohli averages above 73. He's also scoredvmore than double the runs this series compared to that of the second Highest scorer so far.
Pant sent in to accelerate didn't work and now Pandya will try the same.
With over 450 lead and more than 6 sessions to go, England are all but out of this test.

[hemanth.anand]

520 lead, 350 crossed, 50 for Pandya (to go with the 5 wickets). With everything achieved, Finally India declare. Most felt it's atleast around 30 mins slower, with more than 2 days left, India can do it with ease. Nervous 9 overs for the Englishmen to see off

[Chetan_Rao]

Could've let England bat a full hour in tricky conditions, given how low their confidence must be right now.

Still a good spell to go, and won't be surprised if England get into another mess before close.

[freedom]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Could've let England bat a full hour in tricky conditions, given how low their confidence must be right now.

That OR
IMO a better approach would have been to bat bat bat even 30 min into tomorrow morning and then declare. Grind the opposition where they are completely out batted and hopelessly bored.

I think this 14 over thing is a tactical move as well. A 15 over old ball swings much more than a brand new ball. Probably india have a better chance tomorrow morning.

[kavensri]

though we may end up winning this match handsomely, i would have preferred to not to allow even 0.00001% of chance. so bat till England do not have any chance of winning the match even if they bat till the end of 5th day.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by kavensri

though we may end up winning this match handsomely, i would have preferred to not to allow even 0.00001% of chance. so bat till England do not have any chance of winning the match even if they bat till the end of 5th day.

There are just 3 instances ever (so far) in test cricket when a team batting last has won scoring more than 400 runs:
418 (WI Vs AUS 2002-03)
404 (ENG Vs AUS 1948)
403 (IND Vs WI 1975-76)

So, chances are very remote but if England do win over the next 2 days it will be a new record and obviously it will be a historical, famous win against all odds, let's see.

[vibbs]

Call me a bit old fashioned, but this is my thinking.
Why do you need more than 2 days to get England out?

In fact if they were to survive 3 days, they could very well score 520.
I would have wanted them to bat till one hour on the 4th day to put the total beyond England's reach.

But I guess they wanted to take out the effects of losing match time due to weather if it rains in the next two days.