DAVID LLOYD: England bowlers still have L plates on but now it’s batsmen with a test to pass on Rajkot pitch
- Ben Stokes’ side will face India in Rajkot, with the Test series level at 1-1
- One of England’s top six needs to score a huge hundred in the third Test
- England must devise a plan to stop top scorer Yashasvi Jaiswa
If you look back at the first two Tests of this series, it was a case of winning the toss, winning the game. However, if the Rajkot ground plays anything like it did in its previous two outings as a Test venue, it won’t be nearly as important this week.
Take a look back at the 2016-17 scorecard: England 537 playing India 488. Two years later, the Indians amassed 649 for nine declared against the West Indies.
Recent history tells you that it is as flat as a pancake. Which reminds me that today is one of the most beautiful days of the year, and the best filling for yours is lemon and syrup. It is certainly the number 1 choice at Lloyd Towers.
Some people will tell you lemon and sugar or syrup. But believe me, they don’t know what they’re talking about. I’m trying to beat my previous best of 19 tonight.
Such ridiculously high totals at Rajkot suggest there is little difference between batting first or second, and in old money this would be a long, drawn-out match.
Ben Stokes’ England are expected to continue their aggressive approach in the third Test in Rajkot
However, there has obviously been a change in mentality from England and we all know that this team under Ben Stokes will be aggressive. It seems to be a location where you can really give a ton.
All of India has digested the news that Virat Kohli will not play any role in the series, but I don’t think it weakens them too much, even though he is one of the best players we have ever seen.
Shubman Gill stepped up in the second Test and the Indian batters are all capable of hitting huge scores. The one England have had the most trouble with so far is Yashasvi Jaiswal and their challenge is therefore to try and devise a plan to sack the series’ leading run-scorer.
As Jos Buttler’s opening partner at Rajasthan Royals, we saw that he would be a perfect fit for Bazball and he holds the record for the fastest 50 in the Indian Premier League – off just 13 balls.
Jaiswal is a real sprinter but he has no obvious weakness so I would think a little outside the box and instead of bowling the left arm spinner with the new ball against him I would be tempted to continue with the off -line. -spinner, placing temptation in the depths.
I would like to see England play on Jaiswal’s ego a bit more.
Yes, you need to keep your catchers around the bat in subcontinental conditions, but you also need one or two fielders hovering in strategic positions where he likes to hit the ball.
England must work out a plan to stop Yashasvi Jaiswa, the series’ top scorer
Give him a carrot by placing deep midwicket and deep mid-off, but two-thirds instead of all the way back to the boundary. Remember the trap Stokes set for Shreyas Iyer in the second Test, when the England captain ran to the rope to take a very good top catch.
As for their own game? Well, one of England’s top six should get no less than a hundred. If that happens, the team gets 400. Scores of 250-270 are not good. Forget the pleasant fifties and cameos from the twenties and thirties.
Remember that the bowlers, including novice spinners, have taken 10 wickets four out of four times. These are players who go onto the field with the L-plates on their back. In Rajkot this week, it is the batsmen who have to pass the test.
TV: India v England, Thursday 4am, LIVE on TNT Sports 1.