At Friday’s selection meeting, the only significant decision was to bench middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer, who has been struggling to score runs and has complained of groyne and back pain.After Jasprit Bumrah wins the second Test by getting rid of England’s Tom Hartley, he celebrates with teammates and Rohit Sharma.
For India, after a disorganised start, things are starting to come together. There is renewed hope for a team that appeared underprepared in Hyderabad and defeated England in Vizag thanks to individual excellence. They will play in Rajkot the following week. With KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja’s prompt return (health permitting), the team that will be without Virat Kohli has a good chance of maintaining their momentum.Iyer was dropped after a run of poor scores, and it is understood that the medical staff did not alert the selectors to any concerns.
Discussions have taken place regarding the conditions they will face going forward in Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala, following the second Test. India’s think tank has selected both Rahul and Jadeja right away into the team because they want to win the series before moving on to the Dhauladhar ranges, as Dharamsala is known to be a seamer-friendly place. The batsman is expected to bat at No. 4, suggesting that their recovery is proceeding as planned, even though they still need to pass the fitness test.
Even though KS Bharat hasn’t played up to par with the bat, India knows they don’t have many options in this area. His main skill set did not present any problems in either of the Tests, and now that Jadeja and Rahul are back, they are probably going to stay with Bharat in Rajkot. Should Bharat’s problems with the bat persist, India will likely focus on Dhruv Jurel for the final two games.
Call on Bumrah
Regarding Bumrah’s ability to manage his workload, it is known that India will probably play him in Rajkot as long as the medical staff does not express any concerns at this time. Bumrah is the only Indian bowler who has been able to consistently apply pressure on England in the two Tests that have been played so far. Because of the nine-day break, Bumrah has had more time to recover. Unless the pacer requests a break, he will definitely play in Rajkot.
India feels they have the arsenal to take on England, especially with Siraj back in the team. There were discussions prior to the second Test about which player from India, Mukesh Kumar or Washington Sundar, should start.
