OPINION
Follow UsThere is not a lot of Test cricket ahead for India this year. The upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka is their only complete Test series in 2022. Despite the defeat in South Africa, the Test side is still pretty settled. Yet, there are only four confirmed spots in the XI as of now. In this space, we check different combination possibilities for India ahead of the first match in Mohali.
Who opens with Rohit?
It is safe to assume that Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul cemented their spot as India’s first-choice openers during the four Tests in England last year. Such has been India’s fortunes that the two have not opened together since because of various reasons.
Mohali marks Rohit’s return to Test cricket. However, Rahul is unavailable. Hence, India head into the series with two options to accompany Rohit at the top - Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill. The two opened in India’s last home series. Mayank scored a masterful 150 in the second Test and went to South Africa. Gill was exposed on the front foot against sharp in-swingers twice in the Kanpur Test.
These five Tests - two versus New Zealand at home and three in South Africa - highlighted two things. Mayank might not be a fruitful opening option overseas. He averages 25.7 away as compared to 83.9 at home. The argument is if someone is not an option overseas, then there is no gain in persisting with him for home Tests.
With regards to Gill, his susceptibility to in-swingers also raise questions. But considering the game he has showcased against spin at the domestic level and the immense future value, he is still an option worth persisting. However, his optimal position might be in the middle-order. In the long term, that might be the only option with Rohit and Rahul expected to continue at the top in the upcoming marque series.
Therefore, considering Mayank’s numbers on home turf, the different dynamics and a series to be won, the 31-year old can be expected to continue at the top, this time with the newly appointed skipper, Rohit Sharma.
Many options, limited seats
The omission of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane is the biggest news from the Indian camp leading into the series. The follow-up question is nearly as intriguing. Who replaces them?
Including Gill, the current squad asserts four options: Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Shreyas Iyer and Srikar Bharat. Knowing Bharat is currently a backup for Rishabh Pant, it limits the contention among Gill, Vihari and Iyer.
The pecking order puts Gill and Vihari ahead of Iyer. The equation is not that simple though. Vihari was ignored for the home Tests against New Zealand. Iyer pounced on his chance with a debut ton. The reasoning was that Vihari had to be sent early to South Africa (with India A) to get used to the conditions. Consequently, Iyer was benched in South Africa at expense of the seniors returning to lend the team a full-strength look. When Virat Kohli skipped the second Test, Vihari was preferred over Iyer to step in. He didn’t score a hundred but his unbeaten 40 was a testament to his class, underlining him as a natural successor to Pujara and Rahane.
Vihari is due the longest among the three names. Since his debut in 2018, he has played only 13 Tests, only one at home. He also began his Ranji Trophy campaign with scores of 59 and 106.
What works for Iyer is his recent form - an average of 50.5 in his two Tests thus far and a record-breaking T20I series against Sri Lanka.
Which route will the team go - recent form or giving the credit where it is due?
Who forms the spin attack?
It has been a while since India played a Test at home with less than three spinners. The current squad also boasts of four spinners which leads to the presumption that the trend will continue.
In Ravindra Jadeja who is an automatic selection, the squad has a left-arm orthodox spinner, two off-spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Jayant Yadav and a left-arm unorthodox spinner in Kuldeep Yadav.
For the sake of variety, Jadeja and Kuldeep seem to be straightforward picks. Ashwin, if fit, is an automatic choice over Jayant. However, Kuldeep has played only one Test since 2020, where he bowled only six overs per innings. India have not necessarily stressed on their spinners to be different from each other. Ashwin and Washington Sundar have played together over the last two years, so have Jadeja and Axar Patel. A lot also rests on Ashwin’s race against time to regain match fitness. Bumrah, speaking in a presser today (March 1) stated that Ashwin is looking fine in the practice sessions.
Considering all possibilities, India’s spin attack for the Mohali Test can shape up in three ways:
- Jadeja, Ashwin, Jayant
- Jadeja, Ashwin, Kuldeep
- Jadeja, Jayant, Kuldeep
Similar questions about the pace attack
There are four candidates for the two pace bowling slots - Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Siraj. The first three played India’s last Test match in Cape Town.
With so many options, India might think about resting Bumrah. The case for his rest becomes stronger considering the upcoming IPL season where he might play each of the 14 games as the leader of Mumbai’s attack. At the same time, he is the vice-captain of the side. Is that post significant enough to risk him in a home Test, when there is no need to pile on to his workload?
The other three options are well rested. While Shami is yet to get back on the park since the Cape Town Test, Umesh has played only one first-class game in the meantime. Siraj has four white-ball games under his belt. Like Bumrah, all of them will be involved in the IPL but with a lesser toll on mind and body. Ultimately, conditions will also have their say in India’s decision about their pace attack.
