Whatever happens in the remainder of this test I would bring back Broad for Wood and Roote for Denly and choose Foakes over Butler . My reasoning on the Butler / Foakes position is that Butler is proving to be a one day specialist and his technique seems to be lacking in test cricket as for Foakes from what I read from many cricket experts he is a better keeper than Butler / Bairstow and I think I am right in saying the last and only time he played in a test match he scored a century and was then dropped for either Butler or Barstow who both suit the one day game but come up short in test matches . Foakes is one unlucky fella to be dropped after scoring a century .
It’s not just about the runs though, Buttler isn’t even a good keeper, you saw with that one down the leg side off Stokes today, there are fine margins in tests and a decent keeper snaffles that up. Buttler needs dropping from the test side.Agree with Broad for Wood, and Root for Denly.
Foakes wasn't scoring big runs in the county championship last year and his century was against Sri Lanka, so it's not as if he's banging the door down. An in-form Buttler can get us a quick 50, 75, and that's invaluable in the lower middle order; but his form hasn't been good for a while, so I'd give him one more Test, but have a word.
Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Stokes
Pope
Foakes (Wishful thinking)
Bess
Archer
Broad
Anderson
Would be my side. I understand why they did what they did and the bowling attack from The Rose Bowl will likely be the line up at the GABBA in 2021 providing there is no injuries, but I still want us to play to win every series.
Long term I see Pope at 3 but maybe not until next year. He's going to be as good as Ian Bell but with a lot more spunk so he'll be able to handle it.
We do not pick the best wicketkeeper. The odd occasion aside we haven't done so for a very long time IIRC. We go for the best wicketkeeper/batsman. Otherwise James Foster would have had over 100 caps.
He’s also got the same amount of Test 100s as Buttler, you keep making this point about his County runs but it has never been the be all and end all, if it was Hick and Ramprakash would never have been dropped from the Test side.I think Foakes will get the 3rd Test if Buttler flops in the 2nd, even though his County batting average in 2019 was less than 25.
He’s also got the same amount of Test 100s as Buttler, you keep making this point about his County runs but it has never been the be all and end all, if it was Hick and Ramprakash would never have been dropped from the Test side.
Absolutely nothing wrong with showing faith in a player you like old chap, Christ I did it for years with Robin Smith even after he'd retired!I see the point, but to replace an incumbent who is on a bad run you really want someone who's banging the door down rather than being on a similarly bad run in an easier form of the game. Hick & Ramps demanded the chance through the runs they scored. Very sadly, they didn't take that chance.
If we had a reliable top 3 I think Foakes would be in by now, but before the last game the runs looked like they had to come from Stokes, Pope and (hopefully!) Buttler. With Root back, and Crawley looking promising, and Burns / Sibley showing signs of being a decent pair, this is Buttler's last chance, but it is still one that I would give him. (I admit that in part it's cos I like the guy, but I'd still give him one more chance.)
Archer dropped for breaching the bio-secure rules ?