England v India 2025 Test Match Series June 20-August 4

[swampy]

What a match. Both teams kept throwing punches and Siraj managed the knockout blow.

The 40 runs Washington Sundar scored in the last wicket partnership proved absolutely crucial! Becoming a very clutch cricketer.

 

[PhatBoy]

View attachment 2386148

Looks like the spider caught himself a couple of flies

 

[DaRick]

Yeah that wouldn’t surprise me. I would expect to see him play a lot of ramps and upper cuts to the shorter stuff - I know it just about got him out yesterday and will probably get him into trouble here too but probably his most effective shot to straighter short balls is the sort of upper-hook that he flicks over fine leg.

That works pretty consistently against wicket-to-wicket bowlers like Hazlewood, but it's dangerous against Cummins (angles the ball in and has an awkward action so you don't pick up the ball quickly), and very difficult against Starc (left-arm angle).

I haven't mentioned Boland because he doesn't really bowl short deliveries, and so Brook is likely well-equipped to take him on simply because he doesn't defend much.

Would expect it to come off sometimes, though.

 

[PhatBoy]

That works pretty consistently against wicket-to-wicket bowlers like Hazlewood, but it's dangerous against Cummins (angles the ball in and has an awkward action so you don't pick up the ball quickly), and very difficult against Starc (left-arm angle).

I haven't mentioned Boland because he doesn't really bowl short deliveries, and so Brook is likely well-equipped to take him on simply because he doesn't defend much.

Would expect it to come off sometimes, though.

I honestly think one of the worst things he could do here or in general against some of those bowlers would be to try and defend.

Sehwag had success in Australia to me because he continued to try and attack. He never had a brilliant defence, just a moderate one so he backed his eye. I don’t think Brook - as you alluded to - has a great one either. Keep out the ones you absolutely have to, leave occasionally, and play your shots. Otherwise he will feed Carey and the slips probably

 

[PhatBoy]

wtf am I gonna do now from 8pm most nights. Look at pr0n?

 

[AJ_2000]

wtf am I gonna do now from 8pm most nights. Look at pr0n?

The ECB hopes you watch the hundred...

 

[AJ_2000]

View attachment 2386148

England going to extreme lengths to avoid shaking hands

 

[scottywiper]

There really is nothing like Test cricket. The drama and tension on the fifth day can be unbearable.
Great series and awesome to see Poms fall agonisingly short.
Kudos to Woakes for walking out. Would have been incredible if he had to face.

 

[PhatBoy]

There really is nothing like Test cricket. The drama and tension on the fifth day can be unbearable.
Great series and awesome to see Poms fall agonisingly short.
Kudos to Woakes for walking out. Would have been incredible if he had to face.

Was really hoping he would for one ball just for the theatre factor.

 

[ams4crows]

Test cricket is the best sport in the world when it involves Australia, England or India and at times South Africa

Any other team and it fails to deliver

 

[Trojan90]

Test cricket is the best sport in the world when it involves Australia, England or India and at times South Africa

Any other team and it fails to deliver

Over to you PhatBoy

 

[DaRick]

I honestly think one of the worst things he could do here or in general against some of those bowlers would be to try and defend.

Sehwag had success in Australia to me because he continued to try and attack. He never had a brilliant defence, just a moderate one so he backed his eye. I don’t think Brook - as you alluded to - has a great one either. Keep out the ones you absolutely have to, leave occasionally, and play your shots. Otherwise he will feed Carey and the slips probably

That's the point; I don't think Brook will.

Boland is difficult to defend, but less difficult to attack because his variation relies on using the crease rather than changing up his length or using slower balls.

 

[PhatBoy]

Test cricket is the best sport in the world when it involves Australia, England or India and at times South Africa

Any other team and it fails to deliver

A team in Pakistan earlier this year recovered to win a test match from 7-37 in the first session of the match, you realise, with a dreadlocked spinner leading the way with bat and ball on pitches the hosts openly admitted were doctored.
Pakistan have played out a draw 9 wickets down against NZ just 14 short of a 319 target within the last 2 years.
It’s a couple of years since the West Indies were set almost 400 to win a test in Bangladesh and a debutante smashed 200 not out at a run a ball to chase it down.

Even the ‘sometimes south Africa’ call is harsh. Pound for pound, considering they play nowhere near as much test cricket as the other big nations, is harsh: they play in a huge percentage of thrilling matches.

The WTC final was absorbing. The 2 wicket win against Pakistan to seal their place in the final. The match against India where they took 6-0 or whatever it was and Markram smashed that ridiculous hundred on that disgraceful pitch. They’ve played a heap of memorable tests.

 

[PhatBoy]

That’s just games not involving Australia, India and England. There’s plenty of good ones that involve them against one of the so called lesser teams.

West Indies at the Gabba.
England losing to NZ by a run after making them follow on.
Australia’s big run chase in NZ last year.
England vs Sri Lanka last year
Some of the India/NZ tests.

 

[Zach Package]

Would have loved a mankad to win the series, and India running straight to the airport with the trophy like some kind of Monty Python sketch.

Alas

 

[PhatBoy]

Would have loved a mankad to win the series, and India running straight to the airport with the trophy like some kind of Monty Python sketch.

Alas

Or Shooter McGavin with the gold jacket

 

[corbies]

Test cricket is the best sport in the world when it involves Australia, England or India and at times South Africa

Any other team and it fails to deliver

What you mean by this is that you only watch Test cricket when it involves Australia, England or India.

Even a nothing series like New Zealand v Bangladesh have played 4 Tests in the last 3 or so years and 3 of them have been absolute crackers.

 

[jackster83]

Test cricket is the best sport in the world when it involves Australia, England or India and at times South Africa

Any other team and it fails to deliver

NZ have had their moments too, like when they beat India in India last year.

Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies and Sri Lanka being so poor for the last decade has really hurt international cricket though.

 

[hawkman]

Would have loved a mankad to win the series, and India running straight to the airport with the trophy like some kind of Monty Python sketch.

Alas

Imagine the spirit of cricket outrage if Woakes faced a ball at the body that he couldn't get out the way of

 

[PhatBoy]

Imagine the spirit of cricket outrage if Workes faced a ball at the body that he couldn't get out the way of

I think it bounced off a crack but from memory when Smith batted with a broken hand Johnson got him absolutely flush on it and no one batted an eyelid - he didn’t say a word (he was obviously in pain but understood he would get hit).

I think even despite all the pissing back and forth, the English would know and accept that he’s at risk of getting hit. I think…

 

[Doss]

Suck enormous quantities of shit, England (except Woakes).

 

[MJG14]

Lol what is this?

Edit: Looks like they deleted it but I took a screenshot!

 

[corbies]

NZ have had their moments too, like when they beat India in India last year.

Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies and Sri Lanka being so poor for the last decade has really hurt international cricket though.

All 4 of those teams have either beaten or drew series with Australia in the last decade. "So poor" is a stretch.

 

[revo333]

nothing beats test cricket

great series. thought India were dead last night

They were but England are their own worse enemy.

 

[PhatBoy]

Lol what is this?

Yeah that’s…. A stretch.