India vs England (2nd test)

Sibley over Burns surely after his 87 first test.

 

Toss a coin option really.

 

I'd take Burns because he can play his shots. He'll get out more but he'll score more runs. Neither are class though.

 

Very true, neither are brill but I feel like Sibley will grind us some runs out and can bat long once he’s in.

 

Yeah the openers have all struggled against spin in both Sri Lanka and India. Also i think Lawrence is finding the step up to international cricket hard. Take away his debut knock and i think he is averaging 11.

 

I think it's time for some of the senior players to step up the order instead of trying to find the golden ticket.

 

Just realised Bairstow is with the team as well. He's surely better than any of the top 3

 

Agree I'd open with him.

 

Who would bat at 3?

 

Anybody but Lawrence after that performance

 

Stokes.

 

I'd go:

Bairstow
Burns
Stokes
Root
Pope.

 

That's not a great thing to say. Look at Trescothick and Jonathan Trott. Continual touring with an international cricket side can destroy someone mentally.

I'm also aware of the argument the it shows weakness and that that will just be exploited by bowlers, but I still don't think that means they shouldn't play.

If they're talented enough and comfortable with dropping in and out they need to be allowed to do that. It's cricket, not the army or prison.

 

He shouldn't have been selected if he has mental health problems. It's an Ashes year.

 

Open with Adam Lyth and Johnny Bairstow and bring in Andrew Tattershall who can bat and stump England always play better with an hand full of Yorkshire men in the team.

 

Reactionary. Cricket isn't a game for knee jerk decisions.

back your best players and give them the time they need.

 

I don't think there's enough grit. Yes Sibley is a good prodder but we need some Yorkshire grit.

 

I can see the argument, but mental health isn't as black and white as that. What if he's come, realised he's not up to it and asked to go home?

For me, someone willing to say that rather than bluff and potentially crack on the pitch needs support.

Fair enough someone else could be playing in preparation for Australia, but we've sort of done the same thing - tried to prepare someone and found out they aren't ready, or will only do half a series and so will need to be replaced.

I think it's something needs to adapt in the game as tours get longer and longer - the ability to take more players, or to reshuffle so your players don't have to commit to not seeing family for three months, going home for a fortnight, then off for another three months.

 

Moeen is a strange one, i hope he gets looked after better than they have looked after Bairstow.

Touring India is as hard as it gets, we've been handed a hard lesson this week but they arent bad players overnight. Its clear we need our better capable batsmen all to perform if we are to win though, that will be the case in Australia and against NZ at home too.

We cant go in with players not sure about how they will defend and how they will score runs, some of the dismissals today didn't look great but if you are playing to your own plan then fair play, the opposition will be better than you some days.

have a plan, stick to it. that should work for team selection too, but lets not for get England seem to be prioritising white ball cricket just now with a major competition scheduled for later in the year

 

Aye lads, that's reight