Late in India’s optional training session on Thursday, head coach Rahul Dravid paused for a while before leaving the ACA-VDCA Stadium practice area. Dravid expressed his appreciation as he went through the works of well-known British painter Andy Brown, who has been making sketches of the net sessions of both India and England.
The painter was indeed touched by Dravid’s gesture. But will Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma be able to guide the team to paint a winning picture so that India can level the series in this second Test beginning on Friday? Given how the hosts were humbled in Hyderabad, they do have their task cut out against the Bazballers.
Team India were faced with a similar situation three years ago against the same opposition, but they did bounce back quickly to clinch that home series 3-1. But this is a different England, in terms of attitude and approach, a fearless unit driven by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
India, on the other hand, are further paralysed by the unavailability of both KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, especially in the batting department. And batting it
is which happens to be India’s main concern in the current situation.
Under the circumstances, the team management will have to choose between Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan in Rahul’s place. Both Patidar and Sarfaraz batted for quite some time during Thursday’s nets, but the former appears to be better placed for a Test debut.
India also have the option of including both for an extra batsman in the XI, but that means one specialist bowler has to be benched.
In the absence of Jadeja’s left-arm spin, India do have a Kuldeep Yadav to
turn to. Obviously, Kuldeep can’t bat like Jadeja, but the left-arm wrist-spinner could be a potent weapon to disrupt England’s sweep and
reverse-sweep tactics. Not only can the chinaman turn it both ways, but his straighter one too has been seen as equally effective.
Off-spinner all-rounder Washington Sundar is another option at Rohit’s disposal. India may ponder including both Kuldeep and Sundar with Jasprit Bumrah being the lone pacer in the attack.
Most of India’s problems could be sorted if their batting does the talking. Skipper Rohit needs to fire at the top and so do Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill along with Shreyas Iyer.
Jaiswal copped a blow to his right knee while taking throwdowns, but both Gill and he batted with a lot of intensity during Thursday’s practice.
England are set to welcome James Anderson back in their XI in Mark Wood’s place, with young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir replacing the injured Jack Leach. The 41-year-old pacer should be doing better with his reverse swing and cutters in these conditions. But England, in spite of Tom Hartley’s match-winning spell in Hyderabad, still lack experience in their spin attack.
This pitch at the ACA-VDCA Stadium is flat and dry. If India get to bat first, they must make sure to cash in on that opportunity.
