The UK Babe Channels Forum

With the 3 first class warm up games out of the way,England face India in the 1st Test Match at Ahmedabad tomorrow.

India 250/3 at tea on the first day. All 3 wickets to Swann, suggesting that England may have made a big mistake in not selecting Monty Panesar as a second spinner, although Patel has been given 6 overs. The England team is Cook, Compton, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Patel, Prior, Broad, Bresnan, Swann, Anderson.

Nnthing in the pitch for the quicks.Looks like with Broad having a fitness doubt they've picked Bresnan as a 3rd seamer in the event of Broad breaking down.Patel is little more than a part timer at Test Match level.I don't know why England selected Monty in the squad if they can't trust him,pick someone else.Same selection error they made in the 1st Test of the Pakistan series,look how that went.

India 323-4 close. Sehwag 117 Pujara 98 not out. Swann 4-85.

Surely Monty had to play, lets hope we can get away with already after only 1 day. If its just because its to strengthening the batting, then its wrong. Broad and Swann at 8 and 9 are more than good enough. I think its time for Broad to move up a place anyway, he's certainly good enough to.

A waste of time playing 3 pace bowlers on these wickets.India play spin bowling better than us,but that's not a good enough reason for England to play their 2 best spinners.

Fast bowling rarely prospers in India.To only pick one recognized spinner is absolute madness.Just watch India run through our batting predominately with spin.Have they never heard the phrase "when in rome do as the romans do".

Indian batsmen may well play spin bowling well,but they play quick bowling under Indian conditions even better .

England are reluctant to play Panesar because he's a rabbit in the batting order, whereas Bresnan can contribute valuable runs. What happened to playing your best bowlers for the conditions? India have declared at 521/8 and 7 of those 8 wickets were taken by spin. Patel and Pietersen bowled 39 overs between them.

^ Well Monty is a more than capable No.11. With Anderson been sent in,wrongly as Nightwatchman we now have Swann wasted at No.11.England closed at 41-3