It it is always rather ignominious to lose a test with more than a day to spare, furthermore, an eight wicket defeat is also pretty heavy.
Having won the toss, England's batting was lamentable and bordering moronic in the first innings. It was the worst display for throwing away wickets that I have seen from an England team in years. By the time the second innings came around, the match was already as good as lost and batting 'with backs to the wall' is always difficult. Fewer brickbats from me for the performance.
England: Strengths and Weaknesses.
1) An opening partner for Cook has finally been found. Young Hameed is a dazzling talent but could miss the last two tests with a broken finger.
2) Cook has given his wicket away more than one might have expected.
3) Root is struggling to carry the entire batting lineup on his admittedly broad shoulders. Fortunately, that ever-improving keeper, Jonny Bairstow, is in the best batting form of his career.
4) Ballance and Duckett should not be given a chance in the Fourth Test - so poor have been their recent performances. Duckett will come back, Ballance - maybe not.
5) Ben Stokes remains a quality all-rounder.
6) The seamers have all done as well as can be expected on Indian pitches.
7) India play with three spinners. Each and every one of these is superior to all the three England spinners.
England must replace Batty with a batsman - why play three spinners not up to the task when you can play two? If you want a few extra overs of different spin - why not use Joe Root who is better than competent and woefully under-bowled by the skipper?
Notwithstanding the improvements in Moe and Rashid during these tours, they are still, neither spinners who will strangle the scoring, nor ones who will take large amounts of wickets on a regular basis .
8) Overall, I believe that India have shaded England in the field although both sides have dropped key catches.
9) Geoff Boycott should be brought in as defensive batting coach to shout at and abuse any player who gifts away his wicket!
