New look Indian team – The one for the future

It isn’t surprising to see Ajit Agarkar addressing the media on a typical Saturday afternoon, where he named a new-looking Test squad that will face England in the 5-Test match series. However, what was surprising was the number of players (18) who would be travelling, in addition to another 15 who will play for India A against the England Lions preceding the first Test. Such is the luxury of the BCCI, which can afford to send another 50 members to England.

The selection announcement had some additional excitement, as this is the first announcement post the Rohit-Virat retirement.

Captaincy Quandary:

As expected, Shubman Gill has been handed the reins to take the Test team forward. Gill, an accomplished cricketer, has earned the Test captaincy after being an understudy to Virat and Rohit during his formative years. I am confident that the world will witness the best of Gill, both as a batter and as a captain, in the years to come.

Batters:

As expected, Jaiswal and KL Rahul have retained their places and, in all likelihood, they should start at Headingley. Sai Sudharsan could potentially bat at number 3, and he deserves this prime slot for India. The southpaw from Tamil Nadu has been churning out a truckload of runs, and his growing authority in the IPL has ensured that he cannot be ignored for selection. He possesses a strong temperament, an array of stroke play, and is surely going to be one to watch out for in the future. Gill should bat at the all-important number 4 to stabilize the ship.

Karun Nair could be in line to bat at 5 or 6 after his dream year in the domestic circuit. Scoring a triple century is no mean achievement—something even some of the greatest batters have not done. Karun would go all out to prove that his 300 was no fluke. Abhimanyu Easwaran has been picked considering his consistent performance in the domestic season over the years, but is he past his prime? I don’t think he is going to play any of the Test matches unless something drastic happens. I feel sorry for Shreyas Iyer, who has missed out. Shreyas would have been a perfect foil to Gill and Pant in the middle order, especially after his terrific form last season.

All-rounders & WK:

Rishabh Pant is the first-choice wicketkeeper, and he is a different cricketer in red-ball cricket. After his stellar performance in Australia, Nitish Kumar Reddy is an automatic selection. But the underdog selection for me in this team is that of Shardul Thakur.

By no imagination is Shardul our best bowler; however, he possesses the knack of picking wickets at crucial junctures, and his ability to add valuable runs lower down the order must have tempted Agarkar. I expect Shardul to play at least 3 Test matches this series.

Bowlers:

Jasprit Bumrah leads a bowling attack that has a very different look. Having ruled himself out of playing all 5 Tests, Bumrah could potentially play 3 matches, which means Siraj is expected to take up the mantle of leadership.

With the selectors giving a clear signal to Shami, I feel that it is the end of the road for the Bengal fast bowler in Test matches. Prasidh Krishna is rated very highly by the think-tank and is expected to start in the first Test.

Arshdeep is a surprise pick, and I would like to see him get a game or two in conditions that could favour him. A left-arm swing bowler in English conditions is always a pleasing thing to have. Jadeja will be the lone spinner, and Kuldeep could come in handy wherever and whenever he is required.

Final Verdict:

Overall, Agarkar has picked a team with an eye on the future. It is the right time to start afresh, as we are entering a new WTC cycle. This team has the potential to go places—provided they are given a longer run.

- Sudarshan S

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Pics Courtesy: Bcci.tv - Internet