Dear%20England%2C

Now%20that%20we%27re%20past%20the%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/time-to-stop-whining-england%22%3Eold%20whining%20about%20pitches%3C/a%3E%20and%20before%20you%20start%20the%20new%20whining%20about%20the%20unfairness%20in%20the%20series%20you%20are%20about%20to%20lose%2C%20it%27s%20a%20good%20time%20to%20take%20stock%20about%20how%20this%20has%20happened.%20%26nbsp%3B

Yes%2C%20you%20did%20win%20the%20first%20test.%20But%20no%2C%20it%20was%20not%20because%20you%20were%20the%20better%20team.%20It%20really%20just%20did%20come%20down%20to%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/england-opt-to-bat-mohammed-siraj-replaces-bumrah-in-indian-playing-xi%22%3Ethe%20toss%3C/a%3E.%20Team%20India%20were%20better.%20Just%20not%20better%20enough%20to%20overcome%20the%20disadvantage%20of%20losing%20the%20toss%20on%20that%20wicket.%20We%20can%20understand%20the%20irrational%20exuberance%20and%20euphoria%20that%20comes%20from%20beating%20a%20better%20team%2C%20but%20let%27s%20not%20be%20delusional.%20%26nbsp%3B

You%20lost%20the%20second%20and%20third%20Tests%20and%20are%20about%20to%20get%20whipped%20in%20the%20fourth%20test.%20This%20is%20not%20because%20there%20are%20weird%20machinations%20or%20unfairness%20at%20play.%20You%20lost%20these%20matches%20because%20the%20advantage%20of%20the%20toss%20was%20not%20as%20relevant%20%28before%20you%20start%20a%20new%20whine%2C%20India%20won%20one%20and%20you%20won%20two%20in%20these%20matches%29.%20Yes%2C%20India%20is%20much%20better%20at%20bowling%20and%20playing%20spin.%20But%20India%20is%20more%20than%20capable%20at%20bowling%20and%20playing%20pace%2C%20especially%20in%20home%20conditions.%20Let%27s%20examine%20the%20best%20of%20the%20England%20XI%20and%20India%20XI%2C%20including%20reserves%2C%20to%20take%20into%20account%20any%20whining%20about%20England%27s%20rotation%20policy.%20%26nbsp%3B

%3Cstrong%3EOpening%20combination%3A%20%26nbsp%3B%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EIndia%20current%3A%20%3C/strong%3ERohit%20Sharma%2C%20Shubman%20Gill.%20India%20reserves%3A%20Shikhar%20Dhawan%2C%20KL%20Rahul%2C%20Mayank%20Agarwal%2C%20Prithvi%20Shaw

%3Cstrong%3EEngland%3A%20%3C/strong%3ECurrent%3A%20Zak%20Crawley%2C%20Dom%20Sibley

Cook%2C%20Gooch%20or%20Atherton%2C%20your%20current%20openers%20are%20not.%20Both%20average%20in%20the%20mid%20thirties%20and%20would%20not%20make%20India%27s%20reserve%20bench.%20They%20are%20not%20in%20the%20same%20pantheon%20as%20a%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/india-vs-england-2nd-test-rohit-sharmas-ton-boosts-india-to-3006-on-day-1%22%3ERohit%20Sharma%3C/a%3E.%20Rohit%20is%20a%20generational%20talent%2C%20in%20the%20running%20to%20be%20one%20of%20the%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/career-best-8th-spot-for-rohit-sharma-in-latest-icc-rankings-for-test-batsmen%22%3Ebest%20batsmen%20of%20all%20time%3C/a%3E.%20Shubhman%20is%20in%20the%20early%20part%20of%20his%20career%2C%20but%20even%20though%20he%27s%20had%20poor%20returns%20on%20challenging%20pitches%20recently%2C%20he%20averages%20higher%20than%20your%20openers.%20On%20the%20bench%20sits%20Shikhar%2C%20who%20averages%2040.%20KL%20Rahul%20just%20scored%20the%20most%20runs%20in%20the%20IPL%2C%20Cricket%27s%20premier%20yearly%20tournament.%20Mayank%20Agarwal%20averages%2045.%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/5-things-to-know-about-21-year-old-prithvi-shaw%22%3EPrithvi%20Shaw%20is%20a%20prodigious%20talent%20who%27s%20broken%20several%20all-time%20records%3C/a%3E%20at%20the%20junior%20level.%20Even%20if%20we%20were%20to%20put%20the%20best%20batsmen%20your%20country%20has%20produced%20over%20the%20last%2050%20years%20against%20these%20Indian%20opening%20riches%2C%20you%27d%20fall%20short.%20%26nbsp%3B

%3Cstrong%3EOpening%20combination%20verdict%3A%20India%2C%20No%20contest%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EMiddle%20order%3A%20%26nbsp%3B%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EIndia%3C/strong%3E%20current%3A%20Cheteshwar%20Pujara%2C%20Virat%20Kohli%2C%20Ajinkya%20Rahane.%20India%20reserves%3A%20Shreyas%20Iyer%2C%20Manish%20Pandey%2C%20Ambati%20Rayudu%2C%20Sanju%20Samson

%3Cstrong%3EEngland%3C/strong%3E%20current%3A%20Joe%20Root%2C%20Jonny%20Bairstow%2C%20Ollie%20Pope%2C%20Dan%20Lawrence

This%20is%20where%20you%20will%20make%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/led-by-joe-root-england-eyes-glorious-series-victory-in-india%22%3Earguments%20that%20Joe%20Root%20belongs%3C/a%3E%20with%20the%20best%20batsmen%20of%20this%20generation.%20You%20will%20even%20be%20a%20little%20hurt%20he%27s%20not%20worshipped%20more.%20The%20comparison%20is%20to%20Virat%20Kohli%2C%20who%20is%20likely%20not%20just%20firmly%20in%20the%20list%20but%20is%20probably%20in%20the%20lead%20in%20discussions%20on%20the%20best%20batsmen%20of%20this%20generation.%207500%20runs%20in%2090%20matches%20with%2027%20hundreds%20and%20an%20average%20of%2053.%20Root%20has%208500%20in%20102%20matches%20with%2020%20hundreds%20and%20an%20average%20of%2049.%20Very%20good%2C%20but%20not%20the%20same%20class%20as%20Kohli%20or%20Steve%20Smith.%20Or%20AB%20De%20Villiers.%20That%27s%20why%20he%27s%20trying%20to%20get%20%22in%22%20the%20discussion%20rather%20than%20%22lead%22%20the%20discussion.%20Cheteshwar%20Pujara%20averages%2047%20and%20is%20widely%20considered%20the%20best%20defensive%20batsman%20of%20his%20generation.%20Bairstow%20and%20Pope%20are%20simply%20not%20in%20the%20same%20class%20as%20a%20Rahane%20or%20even%20a%20Rayudu%20or%20Pandey.%20Sanju%20Samson%20has%20not%20made%20his%20test%20debut%20yet%20because%20of%20India%27s%20batting%20riches%2C%20but%20you%20would%20be%20picking%20him%20over%20Pope%20or%20Bairstow.%20%26nbsp%3B

%3Cstrong%3EMiddle%20order%20verdict%3A%20India%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EAll%20rounders%3A%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EIndia%3C/strong%3E%20starters%3A%20Ravi%20Ashwin%2C%20Washington%20Sundar%2C%20Axar%20Patel.%20India%20reserves%3A%20Ravi%20Jadeja%2C%20Hardik%20Pandya%2C%20Krunal%20Pandya%2C%20Shivam%20Dube%2C%20Vijay%20Shankar%2C%20%26nbsp%3B

%3Cstrong%3EEngland%3A%3C/strong%3E%20Ben%20Stokes%2C%20Dom%20Bess.%20England%20reserves%3A%20Moeen%20Ali

Ben%20Stokes%20is%20clearly%20an%20all%20world%20talent%2C%20and%20would%20be%20the%20only%20England%20player%20that%20would%20automatically%20walk%20into%20this%20Indian%20team.%20Dom%20Bess%20and%20Moeen%20Ali%20are%20really%20not%20that%20good.%20Ashwin%20would%20walk%20into%20most%20sides%20as%20a%20primary%20bowler%20and%20has%205%20test%20centuries.%20Axar%20has%20already%20tormented%20England%20as%20a%20bowler%20and%20shown%20himself%20to%20be%20a%20more%20than%20capable%20batsman%20in%20the%20IPL.%20Sundar%20has%20just%20made%20his%20debut%2C%20and%20is%20a%20capable%20batsman%20and%20bowler.%20Ravi%20Jadeja%20averages%20less%20than%2025%20in%20bowling%20and%20more%20than%2032%20in%20batting%20in%20tests.%20Hardik%20is%20at%2030%20odd%20in%20both%20batting%20and%20bowling.%20Krunal%2C%20Shivam%20and%20Vijay%20Shanker%20haven%27t%20been%20able%20to%20break%20into%20the%20Indian%20side%20yet%2C%20but%20you%20would%20choose%20them%20over%20Bess%20or%20Ali.%20%26nbsp%3B

%3Cstrong%3EAll%20rounder%20verdict%3A%20India%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EWicket%20keeper%3A%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EIndia%20starter%3A%3C/strong%3E%20Rishabh%20Pant.%20India%20reserves%3A%20Wriddhiman%20Saha%2C%20Sanju%20Samson%2C%20KL%20Rahul%2C%20MS%20Dhoni

%3Cstrong%3EEngland%3C/strong%3E%20starter%3A%20Ben%20Foakes.%20England%20reserve%3A%20Jos%20Buttler

Pant%20is%20widely%20regarded%20as%20one%20of%20the%20most%20exciting%20talents%20in%20world%20cricket.%20He%20averages%2043%20as%20opposed%20to%20Buttler%2C%20who%20averages%20less%20than%2035%2C%20and%20Foakes%2C%20who%20averages%2036.%20Saha%20is%20the%20best%20wicket%20keeper%20in%20this%20list.%20Samson%20and%20Rahul%20are%20perfectly%20adequate%20keepers%20who%20would%20make%20most%20teams%20in%20world%20cricket%20based%20on%20their%20batting%20talent.%20Yes%2C%20Dhoni%20retired%20in%202014.%20But%20you%20and%20I%20both%20know%20you%27d%20pick%20him%20over%20any%20of%20the%20keepers%2C%20either%20current%20or%20reserves%2C%20in%20the%20English%20cricket%20team.

%3Cstrong%3EWicket%20keeper%20verdict%3A%20India%2C%20no%20contest%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EBowler%20%28pace%29%3A%20%26nbsp%3B%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EIndia%3C/strong%3E%20starters%3A%20Ishant%20Sharma%2C%20Mohammed%20Siraj.%20India%20reserves%3A%20Boom%20boom%20Bumrah%2C%20Shami%2C%20Umesh%20Yadav%2C%20Bhuvi%20Kumar%2C%20Shardul%2C%20Chahar%2C%20Saini

%3Cstrong%3EEngland%3A%3C/strong%3E%20starters%3A%20Jimmy%20Anderson.%20England%20reserves%3A%20Jofra%20Archer%2C%20Ollie%20stone%2C%20Mark%20Wood%2C%20Stuart%20Broad%2C%20Sam%20Curran%2C%20Woakes

The%20Anderson%2C%20Archer%2C%20Broad%20attack%20can%20legitimately%20claim%20to%20be%20the%20best%20in%20the%20world.%20But%20Bumrah%20is%20probably%2C%20across%20formats%2C%20the%20best%20bowler%20in%20world%20cricket%20today.%20Ishant%20has%20morphed%20into%20a%20premier%20strike%20bowler%20in%20the%20later%20part%20of%20his%20career.%20Bhuvi%20averages%2026.%20Siraj%2C%20Chahar%2C%20Saini%20and%20Shardul%20have%20found%20it%20tough%20to%20break%20into%20this%20Indian%20side%2C%20but%20have%20shown%20their%20class%20in%20the%20IPL%20and%20limited%20overs%20cricket.%20Still%2C%20England%20wins%20this%20one%20on%20starting%20options%20%28but%20not%20necessarily%20depth%29

%3Cstrong%3EBowler%20%28pace%29%20verdict%3A%20England%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EBowler%20%28spin%29%3A%20%26nbsp%3B%3C/strong%3E

%3Cstrong%3EIndia%3C/strong%3E%20starters%3A%20%28covered%20in%20all%20rounders%29%2C%20India%20reserves%3A%20Kuldeep%20Yadav%2C%20Chahal%2C%20Rahul%20Chahar%2C%20Shreyas%20Gopal%2C%20Ojha%2C%20Amit%20Mishra

%3Cstrong%3EEngland%3C/strong%3E%20starters%3A%20Jack%20Leach.%20England%20reserves%3A%20Riley%2C%20Kerrigan%2C%20Adil%20Rashid%2C%20Tredwell%2C%20Panesar

There%20is%20no%20competition%20here.%20Kuldeep%2C%20Chahal%2C%20Chahar%20are%20all%20better%20than%20any%20options%20England%20have%20at%20their%20disposal.%20And%20they%20cannot%20break%20into%20this%20Indian%20test%20team%20because%20there%20are%20players%20ahead%20of%20them%20who%20are%20better.

%3Cstrong%3EBowler%20%28spin%29%20verdict%3A%20India%2C%20no%20contest%3C/strong%3E

It%27s%20clear%20from%20this%20that%20India%20is%20the%20better%20team%20in%20every%20aspect%20except%20perhaps%20the%20pace%20attack.%20Which%20also%20explains%20the%20incessant%20whining%20about%20more%20support%20for%20England%27s%20pacers.%20But%20it%20makes%20no%20sense%20for%20a%20home%20side%20to%20prepare%20wickets%20that%20suit%20the%20visiting%20team%27s%20only%20strength.%20%26nbsp%3B

So%20England%2C%20stop%20whining.%20Your%20team%20is%20doing%20as%20well%20as%20it%20can.%20But%20it%27s%20overmatched%20in%20almost%20every%20aspect%20of%20the%20game.%20Grab%20your%20English%20tea%20or%20beer%20and%20enjoy%20the%20remaining%20fireworks.%20See%20you%20in%20England%20for%20the%20World%20Test%20Championship%20in%20a%20few%20weeks.%20%26nbsp%3B

-Indian%20cricket%20fan

%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23IndiavsEngland%22%20data-user-id%3D%22d2FyOxrh00tp%22%20href%3D%22/topic/indiavsengland%22%3E%23IndiavsEngland%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23RohitSharma%22%20data-user-id%3D%22aTPMgojh2U9Z%22%20href%3D%22/topic/rohitsharma%22%3E%23RohitSharma%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23JoeRoot%22%20data-user-id%3D%22N6EeiNoPCUe6%22%20href%3D%22/topic/joeroot%22%3E%23JoeRoot%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23AxarPatel%22%20data-user-id%3D%22TlF4QFq9qrbC%22%20href%3D%22/topic/axarpatel%22%3E%23AxarPatel%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23INDvENG%22%20data-user-id%3D%22QZsWONB2loYm%22%20href%3D%22/topic/indveng%22%3E%23INDvENG%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23RishabhPant%22%20data-user-id%3D%22fEhuysvmVvAH%22%20href%3D%22/topic/rishabhpant%22%3E%23RishabhPant%3C/a%3E%20%26nbsp%3B%23nomorewhining