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India is all set to play a five-match Test series against England starting August 1. The first match of the series is scheduled to be played at Edgbaston, in Birmingham. The Indian team had a great practice match against Essex; however, there are a lot of questions that skipper Virat Kohli will have to ponder upon in the next four days.
Injury concerns, players-in-form, the position of players in the line-up, and bowlers’ combination would be few of the many things that the Indian team will have to answer to overcome the English challenge.
With all said and done, it will be a task of selecting first-choice players that would pose as the biggest challenge for Kohli. The practise match saw Indian batsmen, except Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara, getting starts, but they failed to convert it into big scores. The highest score in the inning was by Dinesh Karthik who scored 82 runs.
The Indian bowlers looked in rhythm; except for Mohammad Shami, who was struggling to hit the right line and lengths. With only four days to go for the first Test match, we take a look at the best probable-XI of the Indian Test team.
The Openers: Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, and KL Rahul
With dismal performances in recently concluded ODI series (120 runs in 3 innings), Shikhar Dhawan’s place in the first-eleven is in a dock. His last tour in England wasn’t an impressive one either where he managed to score only 122 runs in six innings. Dhawan’s untamed aggression has done him more harm than good.
With KL Rahul in prime form and Murali Vijay an automatic choice in the line-up, Kohli would be tempted to unleash KL in the first Test match. Moreover, KL Rahul can bat in the middle-order too, given the fact that the Indian team wants to tinker with the batting line-up.
Our Picks: Murali Vijay and KL Rahul.
The Middle Order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair
The Indian middle-order on the current England tour is automatic (and the only) choices in the available spots. Though Pujara didn’t have a good practice match; however, his vast experience in County cricket is what the team management would be banking upon. Captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane slot themselves in the number 4 and 5 spots.
India would be relying on them to fire big in the series in their quest to beat England in their backyard. As for Karun Nair, chances are bleak to break into the first eleven. It would take an (unfortunate) injury to the trio for Nair to have any chance of playing in the series.
Our Picks: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane.
Wicket-keeper: Dinesh Karthik. And Player in contention: Rishabh Pant
Dinesh Karthik, too, will be the first-choice wicketkeeper in the Test series. A freak injury to Wriddhiman Saha has done nothing but ensured that Karthik would be the first-choice wicketkeeper in the series. His current form is something the Indian team would be looking forward to cashing in.
Rishabh Pant, who was called in as a replacement of Wriddhiman Saha, will have to warm the bench throughout the tour unless the Indian team management calls for his debut out of the blue. At 20, Pant is one of the most exciting wicket-keeper batsmen in the country.
Our Pick: Dinesh Karthik
The Real Conundrum: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav.
The biggest reason for a headache the Indian team would be losing sleep over would be while selecting the number 7 and 8 spots in the team. In England, one simply cannot miss out on the luxury of a fast-bowling all-rounder, i.e. Hardik Pandya. That leaves only a single spot empty in the line-up.
Will it be the 3rd ranked ICC Test bowler Ravindra Jadeja or 5th ranked Ravichandran Ashwin, or the wrist-spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, whom the England players failed to read much in T20I, and ODI series; who amongst the three will be able to make the starting XI of the match will be a bold decision. The Indian team cannot undermine the batting talent that Jadeja and Ashwin bring in the side. However, Kuldeep has shown in the past that he has the sound technique to excel at this level.
Our Picks: Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav.
The Lower Order: Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Shardul Thakur; Injured: Jasprit Bumrah
Fast bowler Japrit Bumrah got injured at the wrong time and so did Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The careless handling of their injuries might cost the Indian team big in England. With Mohammad Shami’s dipping form and Shardul Thakur being a newbie, the three of first two slots will be filled by Ishant Sharna and Umesh Yadav.
There can be a chance, later on, in the series that Thakur might get a game or two; however, in the first match, Shami would be the better choice between the two.
Our Pick: Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammad Shami
There are other issues, too, for the Indian team to address going into the five-match Test series. Skipper Kohli’s problem of poking the ball outside off-stump continued to haunt him; it was quite evident in the practice game against Essex too.
The mind games between the two sides have already begun already, with England’s fast bowler James Anderson firing verbal salvos at Kohli. Come Wednesday, both India and England would be looking to gain the upper hand in the Test match, and the series, eventually.
India’s Best Probable First-XI: Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammad Shami.
For India, there will be much more than just the English conditions and bowlers to adapt too. As for England, they will be looking to put the horrors of Ashes behind and start afresh in favourable home conditions. Stay tuned with us for the latest news and updates of India vs England Test Series 2018!
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 27, 2018 06:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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