Thoughts on the Second Test

The reports will surely headline the manner of England’s defeat (317 runs), a dusty spinning wicket that was already deteriorating on day two, Ravi Ashwin scoring a century and taking 8 wickets or the decision of Mooen Ali to miss the final two Tests but I’m going to feature in today’s post the quality of the wicket keeping.

Both Ben Foakes and Rishabh Pant’s glove-work was exemplary.

The modern wicket keeper is less a glove man than an additional batsman.

One could say this is the consequence of white ball cricket but the wicketkeeper-batsman (Les Ames,  Derek Lindsay, Adam Gilchrist) has been around for some time.

When I first became fascinated by this intriguing game as a schoolboy at Lords following Middlesex I could not understand why Jim Parks of Sussex was preferred by the England selectors to J. T Murray of my team.

Parks was the better batsman but Murray the better keeper.

It’s sad to think that Bob Taylor – as in c Taylor b Botham – would not now be selected.

It’s slightly odd that selection is based on a different skill – I did not hear anyone argue that the admirable Chris Woakes should be chosen ahead of Olly Stone as the former scores more runs .

I love to see a good stumping with the athletic leap like a goalkeeper such as Pant executed.

I saw Foakes keep so well in Sri Lanka 2 years ago and score a century but only as a run scorer is his selection assured.

Jonny Bairstow will almost certainly return for the next day/night Test in Ahmedabad.