England really should not be complacent.
India should not be afraid of England.
Both teams should be concerned.

England have:

   3 batsmen averaging over 50,
   1 in the 30s,
   1 on 21, and the other
   8 with an average under 20.

Alternatively, England have

   3 batsmen who scored more than 150 runs,
   1 with more than 50 runs, and
   9 who scored less than 40.

India have a slightly more balanced spread:

   1 averaging over 50,
   4 from 20-40, and the remaining
   6 below 20.

Alternatively, India have

   2 batsman who scored more than 150 runs,
   4 who made more than 50, and
   5 who scored 40 or fewer.

Eight proper batsmen have been a spectacular failure: Yuvraj, Kohli, Dhoni, Patel, Tendulkar, Bell, Trott, and Bairstow have all underperformed. 294 runs, from 22 innings, with one not-out, at a collective average of exactly 14. To put that in perspective, those 8 batsmen scored 294 runs between them, Cook and Pujara scored 745 between them (from 8 innings, with 3 not-outs, at an average of exactly 149).

Both sides should fret about their batting!

The bowling is a little more respectable - surprisingly for an Indian series. 4 have been outstanding, Swann, Monty, Ojha, and Yadav all average between 19 and 23. Brilliant by any standard. The best of the rest average double that of the leading pack.

Zak and Bhajii are averaging ~40, but with only 3 and 2 wickets.
Then there is Ashwin with 6 wickets at 60.
And Jimmy Anderson with 2 at 77.

KP and Samit are the only other wicket takers. Bresnan and Broad have been as dangerous as a seventeen stone 39 year old who has never played cricket …ie, me.

So if Swann or Monty get an injury - given the amount they have to bowl it's not impossible - England are deep in the brown. And India have one pressing question: why is Ashwin averaging 60 when England can't bat? He is not approximately 3 times worse than the other 3 leading spinners …it isn't as if terrible luck or dropped catches have gone his way.

All in all, the batsmen need to shape up, and the quicks need to work out what to do .. does either side need more than one?

And you know what? I'm LOVING it. No-one knows how this series will end up. It's one game each, not a draw in sight. Please - more test series like this in India!

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To view more of David Bird, visit his blog at http://quitecross.wordpress.com/