BUMBLE ON THE TEST
MY SYMPATHY FOR DOM
I FEEL for Dom Bess. He’s got the yips and I can tell you from personal experience that it’s not nice. You’re in a state of confusion and forget how to let the ball go. The only good thing is that it goes as quickly as it comes, but England should not have picked Bess. What made them think he had solved his problem of bowling full tosses? Joe Root is a better bowler than Bess at the moment.
TIME TO DROP STOKES!
THE excellence of Jimmy Anderson and Ben Stokes kept England in this game for the first two sessions, but, boy, do they need support. I just wonder if they have got the most out of Stokes’s bowling. England’s greatest all-rounder was Ian Botham, and he hardly ever batted above No 6. I’ll take a deep breath as I say this, I wonder if Stokes might get through more overs if he dropped to No 6…
SUMMON THE BUTTLER
THAT innings from Rishabh Pant turned the match on its head. It was exhilarating. He bided his time, then went after Anderson. That reverse-sweep over the slips was outrageous! Have England got a player who can produce that kind of innings? I think they have: Jos Buttler. But he’s at home. When he comes back, I just hope they take the shackles off him. Having a hitter in your side can win you Tests.
LOTTERY OF DRS
THOSE lbw decisions — you win some and you lose some with the DRS. My immediate thought was that Rohit Sharma had been sawn off. That delivery from Stokes just didn’t look out, and it was umpire’s call on impact and height. Then Rishabh Pant was given not out when it looked out lbw to Bess just before tea. My old friend Mike Selvey says if it’s hitting the stumps, it’s out. Mind you, he was a bowler…
ABUSER IS NOW MY MATE
SOCIAL media is a real pig at times, but you can also have a dialogue. I got some very public abuse from an Indian supporter, so I engaged with him privately and we had a really good chat. Ended up best of friends! But it became apparent that nothing mattered to him except the success of the India team. Forget the general wellbeing of the game. Not to worry, it was good to meet you, Manish!
WHAT A DILEMMA
MAKE no mistake, this is a hell of a game for both teams. England can square the series 2-2, which would be a great achievement, while India need only to avoid defeat to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship. If they don’t make it, we’ll have Australia v New Zealand, and who in their right mind wants that? Which presents England with a problem: win, and they help the Aussies. Decisions, decisions.