TURMOIL AT THE TOP
Cook’s career on the line. Jennings fails again. Captain out of touch. England must fix their...
How quickly things change. How rapidly England repeatedly lurch from one extreme to the other and always seem to let us down just when they appear to be heading back towards the top of the Test rankings.
we should not really be surprised by the scale of their third Test defeat, which was sealed when Jimmy Anderson fell to the 17th ball of a final day in front of a smattering of spectators.
The same thing happened here last year just when England seemed to have the better of South Africa. And the same thing happened at Headingley against west Indies after England thrashed them at Edgbaston.
The key now is which England will turn up at Southampton next week for a fourth Test that has suddenly become pivotal for Joe Root’s captaincy and the international future of the man he replaced at the helm. Root passionately defended Alastair Cook in the aftermath of England’s 203-run defeat here but time is running out for the most prolific runscorer in England history.
There is another big headache for the selectors, too, in the repeated failures of yet another opener in Keaton Jennings and the continued fragility of a top order that repeatedly leaves the bowlers with far too much to do.
Ed Smith has not been afraid of making bold decisions in his short time as national selector and his recall of Jos Buttler was spectacularly justified here, but the makeup of that top order next week is his biggest challenge yet.
The imminent arrival of Cook’s third child, as revealed by Sportsmail, is another complication for a panel of Smith, James Taylor, Root and coach Trevor Bayliss who simply have to get this one right.
Root said he expected Cook to be available for Southampton and he will be professional in balancing England and family commitments. only if his baby comes on the first day at the Ageas Bowl will he not be there.
There is certainly no danger of England dropping Cook just yet, particularly as they cannot find an adequate opening partner for him, and the likelihood remains he will jump before he is pushed. It is just a question of when.
If Smith and Co push Jennings now there is likely to be no way back for him so that may be enough to earn the likeable opener one last chance. other options are certainly limited. The next cab off the rank is Surrey’s Rory Burns but, as another left-hander, he will encounter the same problems as Jennings and Cook against India’s impressive pace attack.
The more feasible probability is a return on his home ground for James Vince, who has done exactly what Smith told him to when he left him out at the start of this season and scored prolifically in all formats for Hampshire.
Vince could open if Jennings is discarded or he could deputise for Jonny Bairstow should his broken n finger stop him batting as well as keeping, but England remain n hopeful the Yorkshireman will be able to play. Vince, a precious right-handed option, looks almost certain to be named today in what could be an enlarged England squad to cover all bases.
And if Bairstow plays as a batsman with Buttler taking the gloves that could, by accident, provide England with the better balance and free up Bairstow to concentrate on being the specialist toporder batsman his team needs.
Also in the mix is Moeen Ali, who scored a double-hundred and took k eight wickets for worcestershire this week against Yorkshire. But he is left-handed, too.
Then there is Sam Curran, so unlucky to miss out here and whose left-arm swing could have provided a better option than the rusty and expensive bowling of f Ben Stokes.
So much for England to ponder r but so much for India to celebrate in only their seventh Test victory y in England. Can they really emulate Don Bradman’s 1936-37 Ashes side in coming back from 2-0 down n to win a Test series 3-2?
There has to be a chance now, though England could easily y bounce back with another commanding performance, just as they y did after those defeats against South Africa, west Indies and against Pakistan at Lord’s at the start of this season. Their inconsistency is maddening.
Not nearly as maddening as s Nottinghamshire’s original intention to charge £10 to watch yesterday’s play but thankfully they saw sense after a backlash on Tuesday night and not only let in people for free but also made a donation to the victims of the flooding in Kerala in southern India.
well done them and well done India. That close-fought series we all expected after the first Test Edgbaston thriller is very much back on. And however frustrating England are, that can only be an enticing prospect.
Possible squad for fourth Test: Cook, Jennings, Root (captain), Bairstow, Stokes, Pope, Buttler (wkt), Woakes, Rashid, Broad, Anderson, Vince, Moeen, S Curran.