TimesofIndia.com in Manchester: Fourth Test and India are set to have their fourth different bowling combination of the series as injuries have forced them to make some tweaks. The series started in Leeds with India beefing up the pace attack, but they moved towards batting depth with the inclusion of Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy for Edgbaston and Lord’s. The collapses in Leeds weren’t ideal and to cover all bases, and add a sixth bowling option, the two all-rounders were drafted into the XIs for the next two Tests.That template, however, now needs to be tweaked with Reddy out of the series due to injury, and India are in a huddle for the ideal combination. The options look very straightforward at the moment – add an extra specialist batter in Sai Sudharsan or go back to Shardul Thakur and continue with the bits-and-pieces template. Going back to Sai will lend a Leeds look to this XI and provide a lot of depth to their batting, while also keeping the five bowling options – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Anshul Kamboj, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sundar – intact.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Shubman Gill had six at his disposal in the previous two Tests, but given the situation they are in at the moment, it may not be a bad idea to add a specialist batter and operate with three quicks and two spinners. Kamboj’s fresh legs will definitely come in handy in a must-win game.
Poll
Should India consider including Kuldeep Yadav if the pitch offers turn?
What are the other options? One is to drop Karun Nair, get Sai Sudharsan at No.3, and let Shardul Thakur take on the responsibility of contributing with both bat and ball. He was underbowled in Leeds, didn’t make any substantial contribution with the bat in the two innings, and warmed the bench for the next two Tests.He presents an option, but the management clearly wants some control and consistency in the good areas from their bowlers, and that’s why it wasn’t a surprise that Prasidh Krishna had to wait close to 45 minutes before getting the opportunity to bowl in the nets. Krishna looked very sharp during his spell, but he hasn’t been able to translate the penetration into performance on match days.
There was a sense of inclination towards Sudharsan in the nets on Monday, as the youngster practised in the gully positions, batted in tandem with Karun Nair, and was regularly in conversation with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. Even before the players started warming up, Sudharsan went straight to the pitch, got a nice feel of the playing surface, and did visualisations before starting the fielding drills. Both he and Nair operated with a lot of intensity, and seeing the two in the XI will not come as a surprise.Then comes Kuldeep Yadav, and the only way the chinaman bowler can make his way into the playing XI is at the cost of a batter or an all-rounder. Both look very unlikely at this stage, and the think tank will look in that direction only if the pitch gives them a turning indication on the eve of the match. A lot to think, deliberate, and decide for the visitors, who need to register their first Test win at Old Trafford to stay alive in the five-Test series.
