Cricket:India's tour of England 2011

[The Taurean]

England V/s India

Matches

Test Scedule
Tour Match: Somerset v Indians at Taunton - Jul 15-17, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT)

1st Test: England v India at Lord's - Jul 21-25, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT)

2nd Test: England v India at Nottingham - Jul 29-Aug 2, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT)

Tour Match: Northamptonshire v Indians at Northampton - Aug 5-6, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT)

3rd Test: England v India at Birmingham - Aug 10-14, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT)

4th Test: England v India at The Oval - Aug 18-22, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT)


Tour Match: Sussex v Indians at Hove - Aug 25, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 10:15 local time (09:15 GMT)

Tour Match: Kent v Indians at Canterbury - Aug 26, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 14:30 local time (13:30 GMT)

Tour Match: Leicestershire v Indians at Leicester - Aug 29, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 14:30 local time (13:30 GMT)

T20 Schedule
Only T20I: England v India at Manchester - Aug 31, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT)

ODI schedule
1st ODI: England v India at Chester-le-Street - Sep 3, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 10:15 local time (09:15 GMT)

2nd ODI: England v India at Southampton - Sep 6, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT)

3rd ODI: England v India at The Oval - Sep 9, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT)

4th ODI: England v India at Lord's - Sep 11, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 10:15 local time (09:15 GMT)

5th ODI: England v India at Cardiff - Sep 16, 2011
Match scheduled to begin at 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT)

After a breather from the WC triumph, this series provides ample opportunity for a good level of cricket, specially test cricket. The past decade has provided a good level of success for Team India at home and away. England tour is another chance to build on that success. India has got a formidable line-up and this time its not just quality batsmen. The bowlers have been in recent times enjoyed success bowling in pitches assisting pacers just as the home teams. However, England won't be push-overs (they aren't anyway but they are on their home ground) and that's what makes this interesting. The test series begins before the PL season opens and that should be good news from the fans perspective. Time for that series triumph sans controversies, which should be aplenty.

On a side note, some insights by our resident posters:
Amol: "Sachin is gonna whack Swann out of the pitch"
Spoony: "Bell > Sachin"
Noodle (RIP): "Cricket's rubbish".

 

[Utd heap]

Should be a cracking series TBH.

England on this sort of form will always back themselves on home turf against India i reckon, but alot depends on whether like in the Ashes our bowling attack hits the straps.

No real concerns over the batting, although Strauss versus Khan will be a big early battle.

2-1 England

 

[KM]

On paper this looks like a cracking series.

 

[The Taurean]

Indeed. Should be great watch.

India's squad for the tests: MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Gautam Gambhir (vice-capt), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Abhinav Mukund, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar
Highly promising.

 

[KM]

Our pace bowling line up for the first time looks very good.

Zaheer is world class, no doubt about that. However the recent form of Ishant has been extremely promising. We'll see who the third pacer is but I think it'll be Sreesanth.

 

[crappycraperson]

I will go with Praveen Kumar actually. He can swing the ball either way and English conditions always favour swing bowlers more than outright pace ones. Though Sreesanth himself in good form gets a lot of good movement from any pitch.

1-1 is my prediction.

 

[KM]

Yep the team management has to decide whether Sreesanth is in good form or not. When he is in good form, he can be deadly on those English pitches. However he can be a liability when his mind is somewhere else. Praveen is definitely a safer option.

 

[The Taurean]

3-0 for India!

 

[Sassy Colin]

What's the thinking behind dropping a tour match in in the middle of the test series?

 

[zing]

India 2-0

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Finally after the abominations in the name of IPL and the tour of Windies comes some proper cricket.

We're better than England but I think this will be a tough one. I hope the more established players who haven't played any decently long form of the game for awhile can strike form immediately otherwise I see us losing the first and having to come back from that (which I think we can).

 

[zing]

We won't lose at Lord's. Flat track. It should be a draw

 

[ha_rooney]

Has Sachin got a 100 at Lord's yet? Would be awesome if he got his 100th 100 at the home of cricket.

 

[zing]

Nope.

Ponting, Lara, Sachin -- players who haven't gotten a 100 at Lord's in tests.

Agarkar has one, though.

 

[Rams]

England to win 4-0. Tendulkar to get his left forearm shattered by a nasty short one from Tremlett on the first morning at Lords.

 

[Spoony]

Phil Taylor > Sachin Tendulkar.

 

[RDCR07]

I am more confident about us beating England in the ODI's. It is the tests that will be hard. Hopefully Sachin can get that bloody 100th hundred so that won't be in the back of his mind.

 

[Stretch]

India to win the tests 2-1, only just though or else a 1-1 draw.

 

[The Taurean]

England squad for first Test at Lord's: AJ Strauss (captain), AN Cook, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, EJG Morgan, MJ Prior (wkt), SCJ Broad, GP Swann, CT Tremlett, JM Anderson, TT Bresnan.

 

[EdWeatherall]

India getting battered by Somerset. Mishra just taken apart by Trego

46666

Currently 73* (54)

Nice to see Strauss get some runs in both innings. Interesting that they've not bowled Zaheer, wanting to keep him and Strauss away from eachother, as that is definitely a key battle for this series

 

[The Taurean]

It's a tour match after all. Come first test match, they should be settled enough to work the conditions.

 

[Sassy Colin]

England squad for first Test at Lord's: AJ Strauss (captain), AN Cook, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, EJG Morgan, MJ Prior (wkt), SCJ Broad, GP Swann, CT Tremlett, JM Anderson, TT Bresnan.

We'll batter 'em...

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It's a tour match after all. Come first test match, they should be settled enough to work the conditions.

Even the series' we do well in abroad we tend to do poorly in the first test and gradually get better.

 

[Sultan]

The outcome of the series will depend on the weather conditions. Cold, cloudy overcast conditions will suit England. A good hot summer will definitely be to India's advantage with their better batting line-up. India also have an advantage in Dhoni being more attack minded.

 

[Fiskey]

Can't see past England really. Anderson and Swann have been brilliant for a while now, expect Broad and Tremlett to have good series as well. Prior is now the best Test keeper/batsman in the world now, and in Bell, Trott and Cook England have 3 of the top ten batsmen in the world currently, with Strauss, Morgan and Pietersen also being strong.

India on the other hand, don't rate the bowling apart from Zaheer, even though if Ishant continues his form from the West Indies he could be a handful. The batting without Sehwag is fragile, Dravid isn't what he was, cannot see Raina prospering against this English bowling attack and not sure how Gambhir will cope with English conditions. A lot of pressure will be on Tendulkar and Laxman.

2-0 England for me, with India not really having a chance of winning any of the Tests.

 

[KM]

Can't see past England really. Anderson and Swann have been brilliant for a while now, expect Broad and Tremlett to have good series as well. Prior is now the best Test keeper/batsman in the world now, and in Bell, Trott and Cook England have 3 of the top ten batsmen in the world currently, with Strauss, Morgan and Pietersen also being strong.

India on the other hand, don't rate the bowling apart from Zaheer, even though if Ishant continues his form from the West Indies he could be a handful. The batting without Sehwag is fragile, Dravid isn't what he was, cannot see Raina prospering against this English bowling attack and not sure how Gambhir will cope with English conditions. A lot of pressure will be on Tendulkar and Laxman.

2-0 England for me, with India not really having a chance of winning any of the Tests.

PS Sorry for that but absolutely ridiculous assessment.

Prior being the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the world. Gambhir not coping in English pitches despite playing well on South African against far better pace bowlers.

 

[Fiskey]

PS Sorry for that but absolutely ridiculous assessment.

Prior being the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the world. Gambhir not coping in English pitches despite playing well on South African against far better pace bowlers.

Who would you have ahead of Prior? Dhoni averages 5 less than him in test cricket, and isn't as good a wicketkeeper as Prior now is. Not that big a fan of Haddin though I know a lot are, Jawardene isn't quite on that level, Boucher never has been. Can't think of anyone better unless Sangakarra started wearing the gloves again.

I said I'm not sure about Gambhir, something about his hands make me think he might struggle against the seaming ball, I'll be very interested to see how fares against Tremlett/Broad.

 

[KM]

I don't rate Dhoni as much, but you're absolutely under-rating Dhoni here. First of all, Dhoni's wicket-keeping abilities are amongst the best in the world. I'm not sure how much you've seen him but if you've watched him regularly then you would know that he is amongst the most reliable wicket keepers in the world right now. Don't get me wrong I also rate Prior highly. But I just don't think there is a noticable difference between Haddin, Dhoni and Prior. Ofcourse if we count AB and Sangakarra as Wicket Keepers, then there is no competition as two of them are surely the best.

Secondly, Gambhir is not a traditional batsmen at all. He is not amongst the most talented, but his mindset is like an Aussie batsmen i.e he is a very, very determined and hardworking cricketer. I'm sure that he will grind out and score consistently.

Also it seems that you've under-rated India and over-rated England. We coped up well facing the likes of Steyn and Morkel(Both of them would get into English teams easily) on the SA Pitches which are far more bowler friendly than English.

Actually the English Pitches will suit our bowling attack well, as most of them apart from Ishant doesn't really rely on speed.

 

[sajeev]

KM, the conditions in England are actually different from SA, where there is more speed and bounce. There is more lateral movement in England, and rather than bowlers, it is the conditions which be an issue for most of the batsmen. As for the bowling, i think we have the bowlers to take advantage as long as they don't get too excited and try too hard.

 

[KM]

KM, the conditions in England are actually different from SA, where there is more speed and bounce. There is more lateral movement in England, and rather than bowlers, it is the conditions which be an issue for most of the batsmen. As for the bowling, i think we have the bowlers to take advantage as long as they don't get too excited and try too hard.

I know they are different. But traditionally our batsmen have coped up well the conditions in the England as compared to the likes of South Africa, where we've been absolutely battered in the past. Also we had to face Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn there, both of whom would get into English bowling line up.

 

[Rams]

the SA Pitches which are far more bowler friendly than English.

errrmmm... if it is cold a damp in England... then yes. But actually on a nice fine (not even hot) English summers day the English conditions are batting friendly, I'd much rather bowl in SA on those occasions. So it will very much depend on the atmospheric conditions of a particular day.

Btw, it is YOU who is underestimating England...

 

[KM]

errrmmm... if it is cold a damp in England... then yes. But actually on a nice fine (not even hot) English summers day the English conditions are batting friendly, I'd much rather bowl in SA on those occasions. So it will very much depend on the atmospheric conditions of a particular day.

Btw, it is YOU who is underestimating England...

I'm hardly under-estimating England. I've stated that it's going to be a tough series. The poster which I responded said England is gonna win the series 2-0. You guys are kidding yourself if you think that it's gonna be that, If that's under-estimating England, then fair enough.

 

[Rams]

I'm hardly under-estimating England. I've stated that it's going to be a tough series. The poster which I responded said England is gonna win the series 2-0. You guys are kidding yourself if you think that it's gonna be that, If that's under-estimating England, then fair enough.

England have a superior bowling attack than SA. Apart from Steyn & Morkel there is little else. All 4 England bowlers (whoever they pick) will be a handful. England are a better side than SA at this very moment. Much better in fact.

 

[KM]

England have a superior bowling attack than SA. Apart from Steyn & Morkel there is little else. All 4 England bowlers (whoever they pick) will be a handful. England are a better side than SA at this very moment. Much better in fact.

Swann is hundred times better than their spinner, but Tsotobe is a good prospect and not so worse than your Bresnan or Tremlett. Steyn and Morkel will get in your line up. SAfricans have a better bowling line up whereas you guys have a better batting lineup. There's not much to choose between the top 3 right now.

 

[Rams]

Swann is hundred times better than their spinner, but Tsotobe is a good prospect and not so worse than your Bresnan or Tremlett. Steyn and Morkel will get in your line up. SAfricans have a better bowling line up whereas you guys have a better batting lineup. There's not much to choose between the top 3 right now.

Anderson is very very very dangerous. You might not know much of Tremlett, but he has been bowling very fast & nasty. He bowls like the old Windies quickies used to. Just ask Sangakkara & co for example.
Broad has been off colour but is full of potential. I'm not a great fan of Bresnan myself mind.
I guess Steyn would get in the side but I doubt Morkel would.

 

[KM]

I know about Anderson, IMO he is in top3 fast bowlers right now along with Khan and Steyn right now. Tremlett did well in the Lankan Series but I guess he would to perform more consistently to be counted as better than Morkel who has been delivering the good for the last year or so.

 

[Rams]

Tremlett has been doing it for the last 3 test series, you can't ask for more consistency than that.

 

[KM]

Fair enough then. Let's just wait and watch until the test match to start then. If Tremlett is as dangerous as you've described him, then he is a good candidate for the leading wicket taker in the series.

 

[zing]

Tremlett's nowhere near Morkel. I have seen every England test over the past couple of years. He gets a lot of bounce(as you would expect from a guy so tall), but Morkel's simply terrifying. Tremlett maintains good lines, Morkel gets off-the-deck movement to go with his bounce.

 

[crappycraperson]

Mmmmmm Tough to say where the series will go.

Some predictions

We will make Swann look pedestrian again.

We will miss Sehwag

One Test to be washed out

KP to have a great series

Sachin to get his 100th ton in last test