3rd Test: England v India at Birmingham Aug 10-14, 2011

[Hallatia]

Sehwag returns, ZaK may return (haven't been given any real indication whether or not). Yuvraj and Harbhajan Singh are both out for the rest of the season. Virat Kohli and Pragyan Ojha were called up to the squad. I suspect if ZaK is fit India may go with 4 seamers for the third test. I am sure India will be thankful Dhoni hasn't been suspended yet. They have improved overrates, but I think they are still not up to scrach

I think all the injuries point to terrible preparation from India, preparation which suggests they are no longer worthy of the number one ranking which they are likely to lose

the actual test doesn't start for a week and India have a tour match against Northants Friday Saturday.

 

[TheParraboy]

Just shows you that India dont have the talent or mental attitude to be long term no1. They should still however beat Australia in Australia for the first time ever in a test series this summer. But if they dont, they could plummet further down the rankings as Australia is ranked a lot lower these days so they will lose heaps of points

Poms have grown well over the last couple of years. Deserved no1 side IMO

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Maybe India should start recruiting South African's?

 

[Twizzle]

I think the poms got all the decent ones

 

[African Monkey]

Maybe India should start recruiting South African's?

the whole cricketing world should.

 

[Hallatia]

the whole cricketing world should.

*like*:lol:

 

[Hallatia]

Speaking of South Africans, Trott is out for this match and Bopara has been recalled into the side to replace him.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

the whole cricketing world should.

Epic paradox choke in the World Cup then :shock:

 

[African Monkey]

Epic paradox choke in the World Cup then :shock:

:lol:

 

[TheParraboy]

I think the poms got all the decent ones

They didnt get Kallis

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

I'm pretty sure the standard that Twizzle was referring to was decent and above not decent and below hence why Kallis does not play for England

 

[TheParraboy]

http://www.relianceiccrankings.com/ranking/test/batting/

 

[Hallatia]

the real South Africa has the number one test all rounder - Kallis
Number one test batsman - Kallis
and number one test bowler - Steyn
I don't know who the number one keeper would be, but RSA have the most prolific keeper (in terms of dismissals) - Boucher

 

[Hallatia]

Pretty big news which is pretty bad for India

Zaheer ruled out of series
ESPNcricinfo staff
August 7, 2011

Zaheer Khan, the India fast bowler, has been ruled out of the remainder of the series against England and faces a 14-16 week period of rehabilitation before he can play again. He will return to India and will be replaced by RP Singh in the squad. Zaheer picked up a hamstring injury during the first Test at Lord's, but the BCCI has now said he not only has a recurring hamstring problem but also a right ankle impingement that will require surgery.

Zaheer's problems began on the very first day of the series, when he pulled up midway through his 14th over. The team management surprisingly said Zaheer would be ready to bowl by the second innings of the first Test, but he was missing not just then but also from the second Test at Trent Bridge. There were expectations he would return for the Edgbaston Test but he only got through three overs in the Indians' warm-up match in Northampton, and has now been pulled out of the squad.

India have now lost three players from their original squad; Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh left for India after sustaining a stomach and finger injury respectively during the Trent Bridge Test. Zaheer's injury though has been the biggest setback for the visitors. Even as he was hobbling off at Lord's predictions for the series started to swing dramatically in England's favour. His absence from the next two Tests leaves India with an inexperienced bowling attack, with the 22-year-old Ishant Sharma the most capped of all the bowlers left in the squad.

Since the first Test, Zaheer had only been through light training sessions, and the game against Northamptonshire was expected to be a test of his fitness. He bowled with a full run-up for three overs, but left the field thereafter.

More to follow ...

Source

 

[TheParraboy]

the real South Africa has the number one test all rounder - Kallis
Number one test batsman - Kallis
and number one test bowler - Steyn
I don't know who the number one keeper would be, but RSA have the most prolific keeper (in terms of dismissals) - Boucher

 

[Hallatia]

Chris Tremlett has now been ruled out for this one too

I imagine England will go with Bell at 3, maybe move Morgan to 5, Prior at 6 or 7 and Bopara at 6 or 7. The bowlers will be unchanged from Trent Bridge with Tremlett now still out.

 

[Hallatia]

back to normality, Dhoni loses the toss, England will bowl first on a pretty green pitch at Edgbaston

 

[Hallatia]

India:
V Sehwag, G Gambhir, R Dravid, SR Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, SK Raina, MS Dhoni*†, A Mishra, P Kumar, I Sharma, S Sreesanth

England:
AN Cook, AJ Strauss*, IR Bell, KP Pietersen, EJG Morgan, RS Bopara, MJ Prior†, TT Bresnan, SCJ Broad, GP Swann, JM Anderson

 

[Hallatia]

Plenty of appeals early, Anderson's had an expensive start but Broad took a wicket with his first ball of the match getting Sehwag for a golden duck. 1-17 end of the third
Broad 1 for none off 1
Anderson none for 17 off 2.

 

[Hallatia]

Tedulkar goes for 1, still waiting for the hundredth ton.