India vs England (2nd test)

I don't think he was selected on form anyway. It was a strange selection picking someone with mental health issues in the first place. I get what you're saying I suffer mental health issues myself but I think these emotions don't suddenly flare up.

 

Think he’s been harshly treated. Bumped up to bat in the spot nobody else wants, to make way for Pope, who has also done very little in the easier batting spot

 

That's a silly thing to say really.

Of course they can suddenly flare up.

 

Yeah to bat at three you need to be like an opener. That's why I've never understood Burns and Sibley opening together.

 

It's not a static thing. Just like breaking your arm, you can get better.

 

I get resting Anderson but it was odd with Archer missing. To go in to that test with neither in the team really affected us. To get under 300 runs for 20 wickets we shouldn't blame the pitch as India batted alright on the same surface.

 

Surely he'd have had some triggers before going out or some anxiety that he could have shared with the sports psychology team? There isn't the stigma now because of Trescothick, Trott and he himself left the Ashes in 2019 because of it. So it wasn't fear of speaking out. I do sympathise but I'm annoyed with the selectors more than anything.

 

I reckon they took a calculated decision and knew Anderson wouldn't make 3 in a row, so would rather take the risk on this game and have him for the day/nighter when he might have a chance with the conditions. Hopefully it pays off and the pink ball actually does something under lights or else we're screwed.

 

Which is fair enough, when you look at the number of overs that the seamers bowled in the second test. There was even a case for putting Stokes at three and picking three spinners.

Think Anderson and Wood will come in for Stone and Broad, Bairstow for Lawrence (though it could easily be for Pope with Lawrence moving to 6) and there's a case for Crawley in for Burns if fit. Am guessing one of the spinners in the reserve group, probably Virdi, will be promoted to the squad to be available for the rest of the series.

 

I agree. I don't have any problem with resting Anderson, the only reason we are still getting to see him play at all is because he's been rested previously. If anyone would have said 3 years ago that he'd be playing in the Ashes this year I wouldn't have believed them.

Wood or Archer for me, Bairstow definitely needs to come in at 3.

 

The ball doesn't swing down under though. He isn't as quick so I don't get the clamour to have him fit for the Ashes. I'd have Broad, Stokes, Archer and Wood as strike bowlers down there.

 

Anderson will be a decent option in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, but nowhere near the team for Brisbane and Perth. He'll still be more effective than Curran and Woakes in Australia.

Stokes will always be the 4th seamer, they'll be hoping to take Broad, Anderson, Archer, Wood and Stone on the tour as options for the first three seamers.

 

He took 17 wickets at 27 last time we were down under at an economy of 2.11.