India and England shared the honours in white-ball cricket with India clinching the shortest format and world’s best ODI side showed why they were rated so highly in the 50-over series. Now, both teams are set to lock horns in a 5-Test series.
India is the number 1 Test side in the world but still have a lot to prove with regards to its overseas returns.
A slightly better preparation and better team selection (playing XI) could’ve allowed this team to create history in South Africa but since that didn’t happen, the focus is on this English summer. After all, the best side in the world should be good enough to win in all conditions. England, on the other hand, doesn’t lose a five-Test series at home that often but they do have a few of their own issues to address.
Who will partner Vijay?
He’s the kind of batsman you need to disrupt the proceedings — someone who has the ability to change the complexion of the game in a session or two. He’s done that many times over in Test cricket but, incidentally, it happened in the subcontinent.
While he’s a certainty to play Tests in the subcontinent, it’s a different story overseas. Even though he starts every overseas series as the preferred opening partner of Vijay, it takes only a couple of failures for him to be ousted in the middle of the series. It’s happened in South Africa, England and Australia.
After his returns in white ball cricket and a century against Afghanistan, he has, once again, started the England tour as the preferred choice. But since he’s bagged a pair vs Essex, considering the way his failures have been treated thus far, it might have already sown the seeds of doubt in team management’s minds.
Team India needs to make up its mind about Dhawan and his utility as a Test opener, for going round and round in circles isn’t’ helping him or the team. Not to forget that Rahul is presenting an equally, if not better, option for opening in Tests long term.
Absence of strike force
India fielded four fast bowlers against South Africa for the third Test of the series and, believe it or not, Umesh Yadav still didn’t feature in the XI. Now, he starts as one of the two straightforward choices along with Ishant Sharma. Injuries to Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah and loss of rhythm for Shami have made a significant dent in India’s striking ability with the fast bowlers.
Ideally, this should mean playing three fast bowlers, for you often try to make up for quality with quantity but the third choice seamer isn’t tempting enough to be fielded. It’ll be a toss up between Shami and Shardul, and both aren’t giving a lot of confidence at the moment.
Also, Bhuvneshwar’s presence made it easier for Kohli to field five bowlers, for you could expect 50+ runs between him and Ashwin. His absence would make the tail start right after Ashwin, who’ll be slated to bat at 7. It’ll be interesting to see how the team responds to this new challenge—may be, it’s time to field two spinners in England and hope that Hardik’s bowling abilities will make up for the lack of the 5th bowler.