StanSP

Are you a cricket groundsman if you're not wearing shorts and running manically on to the pitch as rain hits

Are England fans satisfied with Pope as VC, and potential captain once Stokes stops playing?

How can you lose a toss 15 times in a row

Fresh bowlers to hit us though! Tongue and Atkinson can certainly do some damage.

Is it me or is there underlying racist tones with this post

Transfer business complete! Even with tenuous links on deadline day with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jay Rodriguez, Che Adams, Ashley Young and some random youngster from Argentina.

Draw. Handshakes all round and England win the series In all honesty, what a shit way it'd be to end the series after the drama we've had in all 4 tests so far. Will be looking forward to the ODIs and T20s next summer!

Been waiting all summer for the day of cricket I'm going to on Friday. Forecast? Rain ffs.

Who?

Indeed! To be fair, some of the players and even pundits have alluded to the fact that there's a lot of emotion between two strong teams going full on to beat each other. There's bound to be some heat out there and some controversial moments. But media and fans, ourselves probably included, make more out of it. I made a point earlier that if anything, it's all done out of respect. There's a lot of passion and emotion when on the pitch. The players are fired up and sometimes emotions boil over by the time the 4th and 5th day come around. Regarding the final point, we're probably in a period of transition - entering a series without Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Ashwin has retired. There's a hell if a lot if wickets and runs missing from the side. Over time Gill, Pant, Jaiswal will be the senior players but they need the time. Rahul and Jadeja are probably the most senior and they're performances show it.

Way too many dropped catches as well...

We'll have to agree to disagree mate. As for turning people away from test cricket, that's on them. No one can have it all their own way and love the gritty side of the moments in the first few tests and then walk away from enjoying the game because of how today went. That's just naive and immature I'd say.

It won't be with Bumrah unlikely to play and Siraj apparently carrying an injury, Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh likewise. Huge pressure and expectation on what is likely to predominantly be a backup pace attack plus Jadeja/Sundar and perhaps Kuldeep. It'd be great if Gill won a toss too any how

Really? It's not like it was totally out of the question when you're at 0-2! Not to mention that we've had collapses throughout the series, and also the manner of the gutting defeat in the last test. We lost something like 7 wickets for 40ish runs at one stage in the series. If that happened today, England win at a canter knocking off a small target. I'm really not buying that two players getting their tons is a farce. Some comments on here make it seem like they were batting against part time bowlers all innings! They were facing up against a seamer who was taking captaincy to a new level, Archer who is frightening at the worst of times with his speed, and Woakes who can turn the new ball round the corner if he wanted to. They didn't face Root and Brook all innings and I think it's fairly disingenuous to put that rhetoric forward. It's two players getting a century in test cricket in England. It's a big feat (which is actually a compliment to the English game!) Why would any captain/coach deny them that opportunity? I think it becomes a farce because England players and fans alike just got annoyed the game wasn't called a draw earlier on, even though there's absolutely nothing in the rules to say the game has to be finished early. If they were in their 50s and 60s just plodding along with half hour to go I'd be well in your corner and in your line of thinking. But they weren't, so I'm not

Congrats to the ladies! Impressive win more for the character they've shown when going behind each time in the tournament, and having strong squad depth to call upon!

In hindsight, yes. In the moment, if the win is totally out of the question and you've saved a game like we have in the past day and a half, it's pretty damn weird not to feel anything in the realms of happy or joy! Just my opinion, mind.

Fair enough. I think there'd be a certain amount of fans, in any test series, that would celebrate a draw that means you wouldn't lose a test series and keep you in it for the 5th test.. For what it's worth, I think our bowling attack becomes even more depleted next test and think you'll win at the oval at a canter, weather permitting.

Any?! Seriously?

Think it's partly the manner the draw was achieved, and it clearly shows given how rattled some of the eng players got. And from the position we were in at the start of the innings. I mean, people were moaning that we declined to shake hands with players in their 90s, getting a century against a part-time bowler as if India choose the bowlers they face (!) and that England draw very rarely.

Why do some of the England fans on here act like they wouldn't have acted or celebrated the same in India if they rescued a result to stay in the series? Especially if two of their batsmen were going to get tons? Ridiculous hypocrisy and double standards...

Well done on your sample of 5. Been a good series overall but think there's some emotional opinions on the result or performance right now. Genuinely been some decent discussions throughout the last few weeks but guess that was only lasting for a short time. Usually good debate or chat but some can't help themselves.

Some sense, at last.

Yeah I misread it, soz. Celebrating not losing. Maybe they should all go home miserable like some on here. Celebration police out in force...

Didn't expect to see so many toys out the pram because India chose to bat with batters in their 80s or because a draw was on the cards. England would do the exact same thing ffs. Most teams would.