Former batting coach Sanjay Bangar believes the decisions taken by Ajit Agarkar's selection committee will be "vindicated" if the Indian Test side under new skipper Shubman Gill pulls off a series win in England.
In 90 years of Test cricket against England, India have only won away Test series thrice -- in 1971, 1986 and 2007.
“If this group of players manages to win a Test series in England, I think that’s going to be a great start for his (Gill’s) leadership tenure," Bangar told JioHotstar after Gill was announced as new Test skipper.
"The calls that have been taken will be vindicated if the tour goes India’s way. I’m pretty hopeful that this will be a series wherein you win a couple of Test matches, and if the other side falters, you might just end up winning the series as well,” Bangar said.
Bangar also echoed Ajit Agarkar's sentiment that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah shouldn't be overburdened.
“First of all, we have to make sure Bumrah doesn’t get overburdened. That is where the team management will have a massive impact by using the bowling line-up picked around him.
"We saw in the Australia series, there were so many all-rounders, and Bumrah was at times overused because the team wanted him to bowl at all times, and it affected his bowling speeds. In one of the Tests, he was down to 120-129.
"To help him play five Test matches, you need a stronger bowling unit operating alongside him. The more matches he plays, the higher the chances (are) of India winning,” Bangar gave his opinion.
He also feels that Kuldeep Yadav should be India's first spinner instead of Ravindra Jadeja.
“Kuldeep Yadav should be India’s frontline spinner for the first three Tests in England. With Ravichandran Ashwin unavailable and Mohammed Shami not in the line-up, India needs a wicket-taking bowler who can make an impact even in swing-friendly conditions. "Jadeja is usually preferred overseas for his control and ability to exploit rough patches, but England is unlikely to offer spin-friendly tracks early on.
"The series begins in June with matches at Headingley, Edgbaston, and Lord’s — all seam-friendly venues. With Nitish Reddy as a batting all-rounder and a pace trio of Bumrah, (Mohammed) Siraj, and Akash Deep, India can afford to play just one spinner — and that should be Kuldeep," he said.
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