Ahead of the third Test against India, a day/night affair to be played with a pink ball, England face some tricky questions over the make-up of their bowling attack.
The conditions are something of an unknown, with seamers usually holding sway in day/nighters but suggestions coming from inside the India camp that the pitch will turn. England could be tempted to line up with just the one spinner, especially with Moeen Ali having headed home on Joe Root’s confidence in Dom Bess seemingly not high.
If England do go with three quicks, they will have to balance batting depth and bowling incision. Arguably their three best quicks, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad and James Anderson, are also among their weakest batsmen, whereas Chris Woakes would provide an all-round option.
Four Wisden writers have had a go at picking England’s bowling attack for the third Test.
Yas Rana, Wisden.com head of content
Ben Stokes
Dom Bess
Jofra Archer
Jack Leach
James Anderson
It’s tempting to be swayed by India’s only previous home pink ball Test – where India’s quicks took all 19 Bangladeshi wickets to fall – and want England to go into the first Ahmedabad Test with Jack Leach as their sole frontline spinner. But given how England crumbled in both innings on a pitch that took turn on the first day in the previous Test, I’ll be surprised if England encounter a markedly difference surface. If that’s the case, England will need Bess to return to the side.
Anderson, who has said he doesn’t expect the pink ball to reverse, is a shoo-in. He’ll be joined by one of Broad, Woakes, Wood, Archer and Stone, all of whom have reasonable cases for selection. I’m going for Archer, whose wickets with the new ball in the first Test were an under-appreciated component of England’s win; he has the widest range of skills of the three express quicks, something that will come in handy in a three-man pace attack.
Taha Hashim, Wisden.com features editor
Ben Stokes
Chris Woakes
Jack Leach
Jofra Archer
James Anderson
A well-rested James Anderson comes back in, obviously. Forget the red ball, he’s even better with the pink: three matches have included 14 wickets at an average of 17.85. As for the first-choice spinner, Jack Leach is the obvious pick now. The left-armer has looked better as this subcontinental winter has gone on, and while there’s room for improvement, he’s still managed to take 22 wickets in his last four Tests. For the role of out-and-out quick, Jofra Archer – who was quietly impressive in the first Test – just about nicks it.
The swinging pink offers the temptation of going in with one spinner, but the pitch at the Motera Stadium will require close consideration, too. If it allows for another seamer, Chris Woakes shouldn’t be so easily forgotten, with his batting ability at No.8 vital, too. Having not played yet this winter, it’s easy to forget that he was one of England’s best players last summer.
Sam Dyer, Wisden.com staff writer
Ben Stokes
Chris Woakes
Jack Leach
Jofra Archer
James Anderson
I would be tempted to make a wholesale return to the attack which secured victory in the first Chennai Test, and if the pitch looks especially bare come the toss I would switch Woakes out for Bess to complete the return. But assuming there is still even a light covering of grass I’d back England’s swing options to make the most of the pink ball under lights.
While Woakes struggled on his previous visit to India – taking three wickets at over 80 apiece – he has undeniably improved as a bowler since. Deciding between Anderson and Broad was a tough choice, but ultimately the former’s recent performances tip the scales in his favour, while Archer’s pace provides a nice point of difference for the daylight sessions in particular.
Ben Gardner, Wisden.com managing editor
Ben Stokes
Dom Bess
Jack Leach
Jofra Archer
James Anderson
As ever, there are a whole heap of unknowns. If the pitch looks like turning, and England judge Dom Bess’ confidence not too dented, this is what I’d go with. I fancy the off-spinner’s poor performance on the last day of the first Test was down to tiredness more than anything. It’s easy to forget that he has, at times, bowled well this winter, and while some of his wickets are down to luck, that’s not true of all of them.
The rest feels uncontroversial. Archer is England’s most versatile quick, Anderson still their best, and Leach their best spinner.
