Are the England cricket selectors mad?

[Simster]

BBC Sport - India v England: Monty Panesar must play - Rahul Dravid

"India great Rahul Dravid says England should pick spinner Monty Panesar ahead of Samit Patel to boost their chances of winning the four-match Test series."


I have to agree. We are not going to win a series in India by playing a single part time spinner are we? I accept that Panesar is a bit limited but he has had a good season and has performed well in India. He has to play doesn't he?

 

[n1 gull]

Patel is a good bowler and I think he will do well on those pitches. His batting could be really important as well.
I know what you are saying, and it will put a lot of pressure on Swann, but I'm just not sure Panesar is up to the job

 

[Pevenseagull]

Patel ahead of Panesar increases our chances of drawing
Panesar ahead of Patel increases our chances of winning (or losing)

Panesar is the positive selection. Therefore the selectors will go for Patel.

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Patel is hard to ignore at the moment. Can hold his own batting at 6 and has been picking up wickets. With our pretty fragile betting line up I'd back him over picking Monty

 

[Pevenseagull]

on another note I would be tempted to open with Trott and have Bairstow rather than open with Compton

 

[CHAPPERS]

Yup, I think Patel in for his batting but agree with Pevenseagull that Monty is probably the more positive selection. The thing about Patel is that he can play spin too and him and Prior at 6 and 7 looks strong.

 

[sten_super]

Patel is probably England's best player of spin, and has looked excellent so far on this tour, so for me he has to play. The question then is do you play Panesar as well? Without a fast-medium allrounder I think it's very difficult - you'd be looking at playing a four man attack with two seamers, when the pitches aren't likely to turn excessively until the 4th or 5th day. The only option (that I can see) would be to not play Compton, open with Trott, have Bell at 3, Patel at 5, Prior 6 and Broad or Bresnan at 7.

For me;
Cook, Compton, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Patel, Prior, Bresnan, Broad, Swann, Anderson

 

[vegster]

We are hardly likely to trouble the Indian batsmen with our spinners no matter how many we pick. They are off the breast and on to a Bunsen as soon as they can walk. Better chance of winkling them out with pace and bounce.

 

[brightonmark1234]

i would play both

 

[CHAPPERS]

The fact that they have been bowling loads of cross seam in the warm up games to get the ball to reverse early would probably suggest that Panesar won't play and Swann and Patel will do the spinning.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Patel is a good bowler and I think he will do well on those pitches. His batting could be really important as well.
I know what you are saying, and it will put a lot of pressure on Swann, but I'm just not sure Panesar is up to the job

Patel is a pie chucker.
The Indian batsmen will knock him out of the attack.
He is a fair batsman though

 

[Buckley's Mad Eye]

Its not up to the bowlers to make the runs. You play your best batsmen and bowlers for the conditions.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Got to be able to put runs on the board. Last time in the subcontinent, even when we bowled Pakistan out cheaply, we couldn't put any pressure on with a big innings. Have to bat deep otherwise you give them the chance to dictate the pace of the match. Swann and Patel for me, simply because with Monty in, having either Broad or Bresnan at no.7 is too much of a risk. They are a great no.8 and 9 to come in, with Swann at 10, but a promotion up the order for each which Monty's inclusion would dictate would I think weaken the batting too much.

 

[Everest]

How good is Zaha at cricket?
He'd be good at diving for the slip catches.

*it seems every other thread is about him, so may as well bring this one up to date.

 

[stripeyshark]

Cook
Compton
Trott
Bell
Bairstow
Patel
Prior
Bresnan
Swann
Anderson
Panesar

Would be my XI for the 1st test. Finn to come in for Anderson when fit.