England tour of India (4 Tests, 2 T20I, 5 ODI)

[DrVanNostrand]

First Test starts in 2 hours at Ahmedabad, on a brand new track expected to take turn pretty early.

India squad
MS Dhoni*†, R Ashwin, AB Dinda, G Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, V Kohli, PP Ojha, CA Pujara, AM Rahane, V Sehwag, I Sharma, SR Tendulkar, M Vijay, UT Yadav, Yuvraj Singh
England squad
AN Cook*, JM Anderson, JM Bairstow, IR Bell, TT Bresnan, SCJ Broad, NRD Compton, ST Finn, SC Meaker, EJG Morgan, G Onions, MS Panesar, SR Patel, KP Pietersen, MJ Prior†, JE Root, GP Swann, IJL Trott

England expected to take in two spinners (Swann, Patel), possibly three (Panesar). Nick Compton to debut in place of the retired Andrew Strauss. Steve Finn out injured, Bresnan is expected to play.

Cook*
Compton
Trott
KP
Bell
Patel
Prior+
Bresnan
Swann
Broad
Anderson

Very long batting linup, Patel is in great form and Broad/Swann would be the best 9 & 10 going around. Don't know how effective Bresnan will be in India conditions. Anderson will be a threat with the new ball, and Broad's bowling is probably the most suited to these conditions of the quicks - although he always finds a way to get belted.

India lineup picks itself. A lot will depend on how England play Ashwin and Ojha, and if the Pakistan series in the UAE is any indication, could be a slaughter. No DRS, however. Umpires are Dar (Pakistan) and Hill (NZ), two of the better ones going around.

Can't see India losing this series, they're strong at home and England are diabolical in the subcontinent. 2-0 India's way I'll say.

 

[Outshined]

Yeh don't think India will let this one slip. I like seeing both teams lose, but it would be good to see India fail in India after their embarrassing "wait till you play us at home" attitude last season.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Weird series in that I have no idea who to support.

It comes down to who you despise more, I suppose.

GO ENGLAND!

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Weird series in that I have no idea who to support.

It comes down to who you despise more, I suppose.

GO ENGLAND!

My thoughts exactly. I'm lukewarm about England, but absolutely despise India.

How do we think Cook will go as the captain? Is he more or less tactically void than Strauss? I actually think he'll be an improvement and will improve his form with the bat (if possible) like he did in ODIs when he took over the captaincy. Does he have the backing of KP or the Swann/Broad/Anderson clique?

 

[TheTigerEffect]

You'd think India will win and win comfortably. I'm more likely to follow how players go though. Players like Swann, Kohli and Sehwag are always good to follow. Not a huge fan of Ashwin though. Will be an interesting series.

 

[whats_at_stake]

The BCCI usually stream the home games live on their website: http://www.bcci.tv so people can follow the game if you do not have Fox.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

lol, Compton is South African. Born in Durban and moved to England as a teenager, no issue with that I guess.

In the scheme on things, the levels of immigration from South Africa to the UK must be enormous.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Need to stem the flow somehow, they're scoring off 4-5 balls every over. Time for the spinners, me thinks. Not playing Monty might have been a mistake. Very early days, however.

Rahul Dravid's charisma hardly screams media personality.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Odds on India's first innings total? F*ck Indian pitches are rubbish. Disappointed Monty didn't get picked, should have got the nod over Bresnan.

 

[djboonie]

India started $2.25. Relatively short considering England's records in Asia.

The pitch has zero bounce on day 1, should be a scrubber by day 4-5

 

[iluvparis]

Lol at the line on bet365 for first innings runs already being 501.5

 

[Outshined]

Haven't seen test cricket in India for a while, but seems to be a decent crowd. I remember abandoned stadiums when Australia last toured there.

 

[Kyptastic]

lol, Compton is South African. Born in Durban and moved to England as a teenager, no issue with that I guess

England should get a pass on that considering his Grandfather was an all time England great.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Sehwag is on for a ton before lunch.

68 n.o.

 

[jethro11]

Viru could make a ton by lunch the way he's going.

 

[iluvparis]

Test cricket at it's best

 

[go the dogs]

anywhere we can watch online for free

 

[HugeJohnson]

Gee those Indian batsman get a hard time of it don't they...

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

What a disgraceful pitch no wonder the test crowds in India are diminishing, not even gonna go into their refusal to use DRS.

 

[Outshined]

The pitch is a road but England's bowling has been awful. Full and wide mixed with short outside off. Swann's been ok though.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

England are seriously screwed by not Picking Panesar instead of Bresnan who is going over 6 P.O

 

[iluvparis]

Over/Under 50 overs for Swann this innings?

 

[Kakkle]

I'm watching online here, works fine - http://extracover.net

 

[Kakkle]

Everything happening in the first 2 overs since lunch. Runs, dropped catches, missed stumping and now a wicket. Swan will be doing the bulk of the bowling today.

 

[Ill Chicken]

Nothing like Sehwag back to his best on a highway. India are a disgrace.