England's Tour of India, 2016/2017

[rahul1117kumar]

Chris Woakes suffers 'tiny crack' to thumb

Chris Woakes has been diagnosed with a small crack in his right thumb sustained while batting in the third Test in Mohali.

Woakes, the England allrounder, was struck on the helmet by a well-directed bouncer from Mohammed Shami and, next ball, was stuck on the thumb as he tried to fend off another fine short ball. To add insult to injury, the ball lobbed to Parthiv Patel behind the wicket to end Woakes' innings.

Woakes went for an X-ray after the game which showed what the England management are describing as a "tiny crack."

Despite this, and some on-going trouble with a sore knee, England are hopeful Woakes will be fit for the fourth Test in Mumbai. That Test does not start until December 8 and the England squad has been given a few days off before resuming training with most heading to Dubai.

England are expected to announce a replacement for Haseeb Hameed , who is returning to England for an operation on his hand, on Wednesday afternoon (IST).

England in India 2016-17 : Chris Woakes suffers 'tiny crack' to thumb | Cricket News | Global | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[rahul1117kumar]

Jennings and Dawson added to England squad for final two Tests

Keaton Jennings and Liam Dawson are to join the England squad for the remaining two matches of the Test series in India, it was announced on Wednesday (November 30).

Jennings, the Durham opener who is set to make his England Lions debut against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai tomorrow, replaces Lancashire's Haseeb Hameed, who is to return home after fracturing a finger in the third Test defeat in Mohali.

Dawson, the Hampshire allrounder who was also selected for the Lions programme this winter before being released to play for Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League, has been called up to replace Surrey's Zafar Ansari, who is still struggling with the back injury he sustained in the second Test defeat in Visakhapatnam.

Ansari will stay with the squad and continue to receive medical support in India before returning to England on December 8.

Jennings, 24, made his Durham debut in 2012 and was the leading run-scorer in the 2016 Specsavers County Championship season with 1,548 at an average of 64. He has been on the Lions programme for the last month, initially at the Performance Centre in Loughborough and for the last two weeks in Dubai, based at the ICC Academy. He is due to join the England squad in Mumbai on December 5 when they begin preparations for the fourth Test which starts at the Wankhede Stadium three days later.

Dawson, 26, made One-Day International and Twenty20 debuts for England last summer after impressing on last winter's Lions programme in the UAE. He is also expected to arrive in Mumbai early next week.

Jennings and Dawson added to England squad for final two Tests - Cricbuzz

 

[iSK]

So England squad now confirmed

 

[rahul1117kumar]

Wriddhiman Saha likely to miss Mumbai Test

Parthiv Patel is set to play the fourth Test against England in Mumbai, according to reports in the Mumbai Mirror on Sunday (December 4). Wriddhiman Saha, the first-choice wicketkeeper, hasn't recovered from a strain in his left thigh and will miss this Test as well.

Ishant Sharma, who has been part of the squad for the first three Tests, has been released for his wedding while the selectors have decided to stick with a 14-member squad.

"With the Ranji Trophy going on, it was felt that the squad should not be packed with too many players," a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official said.

Parthiv made an impressive comeback to the side and opened the batting in place of KL Rahul, who missed the match in Mohali due to a last minute elbow injury. The left-hander struck 42 and an unbeaten 67 in India's eight-wicket win over England that helped them take a 2-0 lead.

Rahul is expected to be fit for the Mumbai Test and is still a part of the squad after he was released to see a specialist and recover for the upcoming games. In case the opener is fit for the Test, Parthiv is likely to bat in the middle-order and Karun Nair is expected to face the axe after debuting in Mohali.

India squad for Mumbai Test: Virat Kohli (c), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Karun Nair, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Wriddhiman Saha likely to miss Mumbai Test - Cricbuzz

 

[iSK]

Ishant is getting married :em

 

[rahul1117kumar]

'Wankhede pitch will be a slower turner, will spin from Day 3'

Contrary to popular perceptions that Wankhede Stadium pitch for the fourth Test will be a rank turner, one of the Mumbai Cricket Association groundstaff actively involved with the preparation of the 22-yard strip stated that it is expected to assist slow bowlers only from Day 3 onwards.

"The wicket will be normal. It won't turn on the first day and it can slowly start turning (assisting spin) from day three," a MCA source said on Monday.

England are down 0-2 in the five-game series after the draw in the series opener at Rajkot and losses in the next two Tests at Vishakapatnam and Mohali.

The visitors face a must-win game in Mumbai in order to keep themselves alive in the series ahead of the fifth and final Test in Chennai, from December 16-20.

"No special preparations are being made. The World T20 and Ranji matches have happened here. We have to prepare well for an international match and we have done that," he added.

"We got 20 days to prepare the wicket as a Ranji Trophy game was shifted away from the stadium (to another venue). In our opinion, there will be little bit of bounce."

"We are watering as per the usual procedure. There was a little dew factor that we had to take into consideration and have done watering accordingly. Because of the dew, we watered it less," they added.

The MCA sources also dismissed reports that instructions have been received from the Indian team management with regards to the preparation of the pitch.

Another MCA official said that 'it will be good wicket' where one can expect good cricket, adding around 60-65 per cent season ticket sales have taken place so far.

This will be the 24th Test match at this ground and the win-loss record in favour of the hosts is 10-7.

Incidentally, England have won the last two matches they had played at this venue -- in 2006 and 2012 --- after having lost three Tests on the trot.

Their only victory prior to those three defeats was in the BCCI's Golden Jubilee Test in 1980.
The first-ever game between the two teams at this venue, in 1976, was drawn so that the win-loss record stands 3-3 between the two teams out of seven encounters.

The stadium is hosting a Test match after three years and the last match which it hosted was the farewell Test of batting legend Sachin Tendulkar against West Indies in November 2013.

Meanwhile, England will practise on Tuesday morning while India will practise in the afternoon. The two teams have had an extended break after the conclusion of the third Test at Mohali.

Most of the visiting team members had travelled to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates during the break and are scheduled to reach Mumbai on Monday night.

'Wankhede pitch will be a slower turner, will spin from Day 3' - Rediff Cricket

 

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BREAKING NEWS : Eoin Morgan returns as England's limited-overs captain

Eoin Morgan has been recalled to lead England in the One-Day International and Twenty20 International series in India, England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Monday (December 5).

England have also brought back explosive opener Alex Hales. Both Hales and Morgan had opted out of England's tour of Bangladesh in October citing security concerns.

England will also have the services of Joe Root, who had been given rest during the ODI series in Bangladesh. In the 15-man squad announced on Monday, the trio of Ben Duckett, Steven Finn and James Vince did not make the cut.

Under the leadership of Morgan and coach Trevor Bayliss, England have been in fine form in the 50-over format with nine wins in the last 12 ODIs, a streak they would look to continue when they take on MS Dhoni's men in the three-match ODI series, starting in Pune on January 15.


England ODI squad: Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan (c), Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes.

England T20I squad : Moeen Ali, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Eoin Morgan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey

 

[iSK]

Good News For England nd Good Move by ECB

 

[rahul1117kumar]

BCCI yet to decide on fate of India-England Chennai Test

Taking into account the sensitive situation after the demise of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the BCCI has decided to "wait and watch" before deciding on a possible shift of venue of the fifth Test between India and England scheduled to be held in Chennai.

The fifth Test in the current series between India and England is scheduled to be held at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium from December 16-20, but local media reported that the BCCI is considering switching venues.

"As you all know and there are some news reports today about the next Test match, which is scheduled in Chennai. It has been a very unfortunate incident in Chennai, passing away of the honourable Chief Minister. So, rather than media debate or speculation, we are making it clear that BCCI has not taken any decision with regard to the Chennai Test match," Shirke told reporters.

"We are keeping a close watch on the situation and we are taking the inputs from the local host association as to what is the mood and sentiment of the people and based on what evolves, the final decision on the (Test) match will be taken. I just wanted to clarify that, because often (when) there is no clarity, there can be some speculation and such speculation can be often counter-productive and it might not, ever had been the intention of BCCI to take any such decision," said Shirke.

Shirke also did not give any indication about any probable plan B and a deadline till when they will wait for local authorities to give them a feedback.

"We cannot set any deadline as such for that, because this is an evolving situation, we will not be able to set any deadline for that. We are on almost on constant contact with local association, the host association and we will take a call. We are monitoring the situation almost on hourly or daily basis," he added.

"That again will depend on our decision first of all. As you know the BCCI has got number of venues, alternate venues where it can hold Test matches, and in fact there are new venues which are added and there is no paucity of venues for hosting a Test match.

"Again that should not be read as a decision having being shifted. It is very difficult to speak in front of you (reporters) without one hypothesis put upside down. If I have spoken here it is mainly in response to your question, its not a decision," added the Secretary.

Jayalalithaa, a popular leader who pioneered pro-poor programmes and remained a pole for three decades, died in Chennai last night leaving a big void in the state politics.

In the five match series, India is already 2-0 up with wins in Visakhaptnam and Mohali after drawing the opening Test in Rajkot.

BCCI yet to decide on fate of India-England Chennai Test - Rediff Cricket

 

[rahul1117kumar]

KL Rahul, Parthiv Patel in for fourth Test, Wriddhiman Saha still to recover from injury

Indian Test team which seems to be battling with a series of injuries to their top players has finally something to appreciate. Opener
KL Rahul is now fit and ready to play the fourth Test which has been schedule to start from 8th December in Mumbai.

Rahul, who sustained a forearm injury during second Test against England in Vishakhapatnam, has been ruled out of third Test because of injury although he did fly to Mohali for the Third Test but didn't make it to the playing eleven.

KL Rahul has played 10 Test matches for India, scoring three hundreds with a total of 532 runs and an average of 33.64. He didn't do much to impress selectors in second test, where he only managed to score a 0 & 10 in both the innings.

Selectors doesn't have much options in the opening department as Shikhar Dhawan is still not back to his best and team management is looking for someone who gave a solid start for the team. In the last match, Parthiv did open with Murali Vijay, which proved to be a decent choice as an opener, but for the long run they are looking some specialized opener who could deliver in the long run and KL Rahul is certainly that player to bank upon in future.

Parthiv, who registered his comeback in third Test after the break of 8 years, seems to have impressed the selectors with his batting and wicketkeeping skills. Though the prime reason behind Anil Kumble staying put with the veteran is injury to Wriddhiman Saha, but Parthiv's performance in Mohali gives his selection plenty of weight too.

It does remain a tough choice for coach Kumble and captain Virat Kohli to make.

Indian Team which is leading the five-match series 2-0, will look to retain their dominance in fourth test also. On the other hand, England will look forward to stop the India's winning streak and try to win the remaining matches to level the series.

IND v ENG: KL Rahul, Parthiv Patel in for fourth Test, Wriddhiman Saha still to recover from injury | Zee News