Ahead of the second Test in Vizag, Ashwin and Axar are primed for India’s spin attack on the black-soil turner while Krishnamachari Srikkanth suggests Kuldeep and Sundar’s inclusion.
Following a setback in Hyderabad, India trails in the five-match test series against England, prompting strategic shifts in the bowling lineup. Desperate to reclaim the lead, India considers an aggressive approach, contemplating a four-spinner attack led by Axar Patel and Ashwin with a single-paced bowler. Notably, Team India used to deploy this strategy in the ’70s, also known as the ‘spin-quartet’.
As India considers using multiple spinners in the spin-friendly Vizag, former cricketing star Harbhajan Singh warned against a potential pitfall. He emphasized the risk posed by the inexperienced batting lineup, especially in the absence of stalwarts like Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli, with Jadeja sidelined due to hamstring injuries.
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On the contrary, former Indian captain and former chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth feels that India should play the spin quartet with two other spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and right-arm spinner Washington Sundar.
In a recent interaction with the Times of India, Srikkanth stated, “In the first Test, Siraj bowled a total of 11 overs without a wicket. On pitches like these, England have shown that four spinners can be played. What is stopping us from playing all four together as well? If India goes in with four spinners, they will have all the variations at their disposal.”
Meanwhile, former selector Devang Gandhi held a different perspective, suggesting that the roughening of the ball may create opportunities for reverse swing. He believes relying solely on Jasprit Bumrah as the lone pacer might not be ideal and recommended considering the replacement of Kuldeep Yadav for Jadeja as the sole change India should contemplate at this moment.
Nonetheless, with experts offering diverse strategies and game plans for the 2nd test at Vizag, it is going to be a real nail-biter to see how things play out on match day.
Last Updated on January 31, 2024
