Cricket

That's the balancing act that is cricket, and generally I'd agree, but in this special case we have to win 3 out of 4 matches. A loss is actually no worse than a draw in this case.

I'd be amazed if Root is really thinking about that. The first goal is to win the series, and not losing this test/trying to win it is pretty important for that.

Is this Root saying ‘I back my bowlers to get the wickets here’?

Otherwise it seems a bit daft.

Seriously? I'd assumed that the target for the England team would to be crowned no 1 in the world? Tbh, the only way to find out would be to ask him and hope he told the truth.

Jack padded up...

He's middled that into his pads?

In any case bleeding away wickets a 2 an over at this stage of the game is not optimal.

Lost the impetus now, England. Whatever the plan, India will be much happier. The nerves would have been worth a wicket or two, you would have thought.

Plodding along eating time is poor.

Will they get a second new ball tomorrow or have they goosed that chance as well?

90 overs in a day, new ball every 80 overs. Therefore, 20 overs tonight would give 30 new ball overs taken around tea tomorrow?

90 overs a day, always get 2 balls.

This

To you maybe - but again, if the hope is to use the hard ball to take wickets tonight and tomorrow, the total is becomes increasingly irrelevant.

Agree it's odd, but it must be the plan.

90 overs in a day, new ball every 80 overs

Ta. It's been that long since I've watched test cricket!!!

Agree it's odd, but it must be the plan.

In June I was defending the government's covid strategy with those very words

Ha!

Interesting seeing root chatting to Anderson. Jimmy looked like “keep them out there, we’ll knock them down no problem” I think they’re just very confident. They’re definitely in the winning habit.

Right - lets get this done!

Jimmy Anderson, reverse sweep for none then leading edge and out. Love Jimmy, 5 for on the cards...

100% certain the only aim is a series win. Series win in India would be career-defining for Root and the team....

So many snide little digs from Cook in his analysis haha.

Can't remember the last time I was 100% certain about anything! (But then I'm getting on in years)

So you think the World Test Championship is not in Root's thoughts at all?

TBH, as an England supporter, I'd kinda hoped it'd be on his radar.

It's a bonus. It's probably thought of as a bit of a gimmick too. Winning a series in India is incredibly difficult, so thinking too much about 3 wins is not going to help. They can start thinking about that later.

Today is one of the few days I wish we were all in the office. We have a lot of guys from India who are on secondment to us and the India tour of England in 2018 led to a great atmosphere as each game and the series ebbed and flowed. They were all desperately trying to get tickets to see anything live!!

Exactly this - if we were 2-0 up in the third test with a similar decision to make re declaration I bet they would bat as long and slowly as they could, put the game and the series to bed, with absolutely no thought of setting a target/trying to bowl India out for the test championship. I know Strauss' s team always spoke glowingly about reaching #1 in the world and I'm sure it's something the team would love to do, but my point is they would never risk a series win in India by chasing it...