India v England, 1st T20, Pune, 20 December, 2012

Now that the froth and bubble games are out of the way, on to the real stuff.

Likely XIs???

On tomorrow. I can feel the excitement building.

But what about the T20 game?

I'd love another Test match. But it can't be all bad not having to watch just 1000 runs scored in five full days.

And fairly much a new set of players (two?). So all change for a hit n giggle.

Well I won't have to Ronnie Knicks, which is nice. Not sure how it'll exactly go but it could be something like:

Hales
Lumb
Wright
Morgan
Bairstow
Buttler
Patel
Bresnan
Tredwell
Briggs
Dernbach

Now, I'm not saying that Lumb, Patel, Bresnan or Dernbach deserve their place, but that doesn't mean they won't be in the team.

Still, they're probably all wank.

Morgan, Buttler and Bairstow are okay.

Wells, we'sll find out. I'm very interested to see Jonny Knicks coming in against the tweakers.,

Oh yes, finally the real format where Raina's potential can be witnessed.

So, a couple of victories in these games and Indian cricket's problems will be nothing but an overblown myth?

Problems? Never heard of em, India will smash all in the 2020s!

Well, apart from that 2007 World Cup win, they've been mostly rubbish in T20s as well.

In fact, it seems to only be in the IPL where the Indian players are any good anymore, and even then, the foreign players outperform them and embarrass them with their superior fitness.

Kohli and Pujara are the exceptions- Exceptional, hard working young cricketers.

If India win this shit junket, BCCI will gloat saying that revenge has been had and that the team has benefited from processes put in place. All will be sunny again and it will be hailed as a super success from a tough side playing for pride. IPL will gain and all will be hunky dory and business will thrive all over again! ****** T20! SCREW BCCI! BAN IPL!

So Vikas, are you hoping the score will run something like:

England 276-1 (20 overs, innings closed)

India 43 all out (17.1 overs) ?

England 276-1 (20 overs, innings closed)

Would need Belly to get going.

To the pavilion, first ball?


Is he even in the squad?

I don't think he's in the squad.

I'd go with-

Hales
Lumb
Bairstow
Buttler
Morgan(c)
Patel
Wright
Tredwell
Harris
Meaker
Briggs

Which is absolutely NOT the side they will actually pick.

I don't care about T20. You missed the sarcasm of my post. If winning 5 ODIs at home was the answer to a 4-0 whitewash away, then winning a couple of T20s may be seen as a sign that Indian Cricket is still alive and the BCCI President will take it as a sign that IPL will be successful this year and thats what counts to that fat bastard!

12.30 tonight on Fox Sports 2. I don't think so.

Henry wrote:So, a couple of victories in these games and Indian cricket's problems will be nothing but an overblown myth?

That's your view on England in Test matches.

This is a nice stadium this. A f*cking pain in the arse getting there without a car.

Henry wrote:

England 276-1 (20 overs, innings closed)

Would need Belly to get going.

That's a good one.

Batman wrote:I don't care about T20. You missed the sarcasm of my post. If winning 5 ODIs at home was the answer to a 4-0 whitewash away, then winning a couple of T20s may be seen as a sign that Indian Cricket is still alive and the BCCI President will take it as a sign that IPL will be successful this year and thats what counts to that fat bastard!

I think your sarcasm was received, understood, appreciated and in the great British and Oz tradition, picked up and run with.

True dat.

Morgan is England's 7th T20 captain and 2nd Irishman to captain England since Sir Tim O'Brien at Port Elizabeth in February 1896. Josh Buttler becomes England's 12th T20 wicketkeeper and 2nd Somerset player to keep wicket for England since Leslie Gay at the SCG in December 1894.