In cricket lingo, there are two types of headaches: good and bad. What the Indian team management is facing ahead of the second Test against England at Edgbaston can be easily classified as the latter.
That’s because not only do they have to reconsider the balance of the team after the loss at Headingley in the first match, but also deeply think about the issues of workload — all of it while knowing that the hosts beat them with a second-string bowling attack and will only get stronger as the series goes on.
Given that the batting order comfortably crossed 350 in both innings, the top and middle order should not change. Some experts have called for Sai Sudharsan to be dropped to accommodate Karun Nair at No.3, which makes sense given the latter didn’t look at his best at No.6, but that would be uncharacteristically harsh.
The problems, then, begin from number seven and below. Shardul Thakur is almost certain to be left out. Picked as an all-rounder in the first Test, he didn’t contribute much with the bat, and Shubman Gill didn’t seem to trust him at all with the ball, preferring to over-bowl his main pacers as long as he could.
Reports from Birmingham say that Thakur didn’t train much in the nets on Monday, in contrast to Nitish Kumar Reddy. That should be a one switch, with Reddy offering much more reliable batting, with decent enough bowling for the workload that Thakur had in Leeds.
The bigger question is of Jasprit Bumrah. India are being criticised for revealing beforehand that Bumrah will play just three Tests this series, and it has surely not helped the excessive media attention on the pace lead.
It’s as big a pickle as this team has seen: you don’t want to drop your best bowler when you are 1-0 down and when (as Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed) he’s fit to play, but can’t risk it either. When a lack of 20 wickets has been the biggest concern for the past few months, India have to accept weakening the attack further.
Here comes Kuldeep Yadav. Ten Doeschate more than hinted that India will play two spinners at Edgbaston. Although he name-dropped Washington Sundar for his batting ability, picking him for Bumrah would be too safe, even from Gautam Gambhir’s standards.
Though the coach simply loves batting depth over bowling prowess, even though it has rarely worked, Kuldeep for Bumrah could be the best way to replace the latter’s wicket-taking abilities. Edgbaston won’t be quite dry but the wrist spinner has never needed too much help from the wicket.
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England’s attacking BazBall should make him a potent option and whether India see it or not could define their series.
India’s probable 11 for the 2nd Test vs England: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (WK), Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
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Jasprit Bumrah OUT, Kuldeep Yadav IN: India's Probable 11 For 2nd Test Vs England – News18
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