India tour of England 2025 - 5 Tests

[Ed Smith]

Well, Woakes is out of the Test as we all expected, which leaves England with an attack of Atkinson, Tongue, Joverton, Bethell and Rootalitharan.

There are two things which, in my opinion, are true at the same time:

• England should have picked a better bowling attack.
• This is a clear example of why allowing substitutions during a Test match would be at the very least worth trialling in non-WTC Test matches.

Spoiler: But people will abuse the system and cheat if we allow substitutes!

If substitutes were to be implemented, then you could never fully rule out the possibility of substitutes being used tactically. That is why I believe that the only correct way of dealing with the situation is making sure that substitutes can be used in an equally tactical manner by both teams.

My proposed rules for substitutions in Test cricket

• Both teams name a matchday squad of 14 players, including their starting XI and three substitutes.
• Substitutions can be made at any time for an external injury, such as one caused by an impact, for a concussion, or by an observable accident on the field. Woakes would count here, Stokes would not.
• Tactical substitutions can be made only between the second and third innings of a match.
• Players who have been substituted out of the game as a tactical substitution could only re-enter the game as a replacement for a player with an external injury.
• Players who have been substituted out of the game for an external injury may not re-enter the game for any reason.

Spoiler: Current example using the England XI

1. Ducket
2. Crawley
3. Pope
4. Root
5. Brook
6. Bethell
7. Smith
8. Woakes
9. Atkinson
10. Joverton
11. Tongue
S. Jordan Cox
S. Liam Dawson
S. Matty Potts

• Matty Potts would come into the XI for Chris Woakes following an external injury. Woakes would not be eligible to return to the playing XI for any reason.
• Liam Dawson could come into the XI between the 2nd and 3rd innings as a tactical substitute for Joverton, and Joverton would remain eligible to return to the game as an injury substitute if somebody else sustained an external injury.

(working on the basis that none of Stokes, Archer or Carse is actually fit to play)

Makes perfect sense.



"No"

 

[Aislabie]

View attachment 306905
"No"

Youngest, most progressive MCC member.

 

[Bigby Wolf]

30 overs and England will have the lead.

60 overs they will double the score....

 

[Kamboh]

Even Zak Crawley is scoring amazingly

 

[prasoonvidhu]

India should look at the positives..England have only 10 batsmen.

 

[DuneTiger]

Guys... I think India are in trouble here

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Attack is the best form of defense on such wickets.

And this is like super attack

 

[Kamboh]

Attack is the best form of defense on such wickets.

And this is like super attack

Attacked with Bombs

 

[cricfan123]

For me not picking Arshdeep Singh is a massive error

 

[BasketballHooper]

For me not picking Arshdeep Singh is a massive error

I cannot understand why we did not go for that guy. He's much better than Prasidh.

 

[cricfan123]

At least you will get consistent line and lengths from Arshdeep

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 1:00 PM

Need to bowl out England for 350 to stay in game

 

[Kamboh]

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[Supreme General]

Zak attack in full flow

 

[DuneTiger]

Joe fired up is a rare sight, really do wonder what Krishna said to get that type of reaction.

 

[Bigby Wolf]

STAT: In the 14 overs post lunch till the first drinks break, India seamers bowled half a metre fuller on average, bowled more deliveries in the channel (59.8% to 65.1%) and had more balls hitting the stmus (5.1% to 16.2%). From 1/108 in 16 overs until lunch, they were rewarded with 2/47 in 14 overs since lunch.

Sometimes watching commentary does help to get the context.