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With Lord’s expected to dish out a pitch that might favour fast bowlers in the course of the third Test, it can be a difficult affair for the batters.
The five-match Test series is currently locked at one-all. (AP Photo)
The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is off to a terrific start with India and England trading punches with the five-match Test series level at one-all. The primary Test saw England landing the primary blow with an exceptional chase on the ultimate day to finish a five-wicket win and take 1-0 lead. India counterpunched despite resting Jasprit Bumrah because of some outstanding batting display from their captain and a career-best show from pacer Akash Deep.
The construct as much as the second Test was dominated by debate over whether India have to rest Bumrah at this stage given they’re behind England within the series. The fitting-arm pacer was a class-apart in Leeds where batters ruled the roost on a dull pitch that saw him pick a five-wicket haul in the primary dig.
The team went ahead with their plan and proved the critics fallacious to storm to their biggest ever overseas Test win in history by run margin. Gill top-scored with over 400 runs in the competition while Akash finished with a match haul of 10 wickets in securing a mammoth 336-run triumph.
The talks across the team combination took a backseat within the aftermath of the result. Nevertheless, India’s playing XI in the middle of focus again with Bumrah set to return for the third Test.
The primary sighting of the pitch at Lord’s, the venue of the third Test, gives a sign of a spicy surface where fast bowlers shall be expected to call the shots. Nevertheless, the look could change by the toss time on Thursday.
England head coach Brendon McCullum has openly asked for a pitch that may offer more pace, more bounce, little little bit of sideways movement.
With Mohammed Siraj and Akash proving their price at Edgbaston, Prasidh Krishna, who gave a much-improved performance within the second innings of the 2nd Test, will likely be dropped and get replaced by the returning Bumrah.
The massive query though stays over playing left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav though. He’s yet to get a game on the continued tour but may very well be a superb wicket-taking option. Nevertheless, should the pitch be conducive for fast bowling, Kuldeep may find yourself warming the benches again.
India dropped B Sai Sudharsan for the 2nd match and it’s likely they may stick with the batting combination in the intervening time. Karun Nair got the starts in each the innings but did not make them count. He may get one other run.
Nitish Reddy replaced Shardul Thakur in Birmingham but didn’t make any impact either with the ball or the bat. Will the team management bring back Thakur?
India’s likely playing XI for the third Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur/Nitish Reddy/Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah.
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and all the things that’s cricket from all around the globe. Follow @cricketnext
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and all the things that’s cricket from all around the globe. Follow @cricketnext
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