Great piece.

The home series against New Zealand should be a great opportunity to blood some more talent. The players have the comfort of playing at home yet still against top opposition. Another important series to test this India side’s greatness is the tour of South Africa. I would say they are favourites but the batting certainly needs to improve – A fired Rabada, Ngidi, Nortje etc will be tough to face.

If it was up to me I would think about a batting line-up maybe of Rohit, Agarwal, Gill, Kohli, Rahul.
Gill deserves to come back into the set up and at 3 could be a good spot for him. I trust Rahul moving down with the addition of Agarwal at the top more so than Vihari or SKY coming in. I also think someone like a Shreyas Iyer should come into the squad.

India has the tools to succeed, they just need to show the ruthlessness in batting selection; they’ve already done so with their bowling choices.

Seems money is all that matters to these boards, especially the big 3. It’s all stemmed from t20 cricket, and now the hundred as well.

I don’t mind the t20 format itself, it might not be proper cricket, but it’s still quite entertaining and tactical. Yet the manner in which it’s being run is slowly, but surely ruining the international calendar.
The obsession with running these franchise leagues over a logical cricket ‘summer’ is so irritating.
I understand they might be helpful for the spread of the game, but cricket will only remain as strong as it’s best format which is Test cricket.

I’d like to think this year was an exception due to COVID, in terms of the IPL.

The BCCI just had to fit in the IPL in the little space of the calendar that there was. The Indian players have spent almost 4 months in the UK in a bubble (of sorts), then they have just a four day turnaround to the IPL, which finishes just a week before the World Cup!
It just seems so unnecessary to me, especially as it’s conducted in a tight bubble, and it seems ultimately the players have no power against the greed of the BCCI.

Yeah, the saddest part is how it impacts the overall international calendar. The likes of Bangladesh and Pakistan still have ongoing series, but instead will only play against second string sides. Surely actually playing a t20 international series is better preparation for a World Cup rather than the players splitting up playing for different unique franchises.

I understand the concern from India, some of the players worked very close with the physio that tested positive so there’s bound to be a case, and it only takes one.
Let’s say they wait a few days after some more tests have been done. If they are positive, the caution was vindicated, and they would have to go back. If they test negative, great the test can now start. Now the part that annoys me.
But no, the BCCI just has to prioritise the IPL instead, with just a four day tunrourand. Surely they could conduct the test match and just have the test players miss the opening matches?
I’m not surprised at all that the BCCI were so hasty to pull out, just disappointed. Another thing I’m quite sure of, is that the players would definitely be willing for the test series to be completed, especially considering they are captained by a test purist Kohli. However it’s the board that ultimately has the say.
Another funny note is that there were initial reports in May that India wanted the series to only be 4 matches due to the short turn around till the IPL, but the ECB wouldn’t budge. Maybe it was destined to be shortened.

India have previously dropped Rahane, and Pujara, in 2018. The only difference I can think of is that back then Kohli was in amazing form and now he’s average.

Is it possible that Kohli is showing ’empathy’ cause he acknowledges his own bad form?
Also Kohli would heavily acknowledge the good job Rahane did when he wasn’t there in Australia.

When Pujara comes out with a positive mindset he plays much better. He needs to find the will to do so more often.

Kohli has seemed to be more in the zone in the last few innings (relatively anyways); leaving more in the channel and punishing anything too full. His inability to convert is still disappointing.

Pant trusts his defence on flatter pitches hence he built together a decent score in the second innings. When the ball moves he doesn’t though and gets out trying to hack it. Something he needs to work on surely he knows.

The last one, Rahane almost seems a lost cause at this point; hard to pinpoint his exact problem he just seems rattled at the crease. India’s batting coach said his form is not a concern, but I believe he will be dropped very soon.

I agree that Kohli’s pressers often seem delicately worded and he seems to be pushing this idea of team effort, belief and fight. But to honestly think that this makes him naïve or overconfident is clutching at straws a little.

After the WTC final Kohli backed the team selection and announcing it so early before the match. Yet since then India have abandoned the 3-2 pace-spin combo, leaving out Ashwin. He acknowledges problems with the side, not every idea needs to be broadcasted.

Just because Kohli doesn’t openly criticise batsman means that he’s being political and doesn’t realise there’s a problem in the team?? That’s completely false.
I don’t understand this narrative, I’m sure in the dressing room there’s plenty going on.

To be honest making such a meal of these post match interviews is intriguing to me; most of the time really generic things are said, ‘the boys showed great fight, we love that’ or ‘the boys need to show greater application.” I don’t think a lot about the dressing room or future plans can be made of from what has been said or not said in the heat of the moment after an intense match.

Two spinners can work cause Jadeja essentially plays as a batsman, and I truly believe Ashwin can be quite effective in the remaining matches.

Yes I know Pujara has problems, but I think initially India should drop one of Pujara/Rahane and not both. I don’t like judging a player off one innings, especially one that was ultimately irrelevant, but Pujara did start to look very fluent again in that 91. I saw a stat saying Rahane has averaged 33.77 since November 2016 – that’s 48 tests or roughly 2/3 of his career. He is the only Indian batsman ever to average below 35 across a 48 test stretch of his career, therefore Rahane has to be the first to go.

When you say Vihari is a like for like, are you suggesting that he has the same problems as Rahane? Not really sure what your point is there.

India definitely needs to make some changes, but I disagree a little with your decisions.

To be honest I’d take an out of form Pant over Saha every day of the week. Pant’s keeping has now improved and Saha only really bats ok in Asian conditions, where he can dig in. In test matches outside of Asia and the West Indies, he averages 13.2 (yes it’s a small sample size but still).

Hanuma Vihari would be the correct decision over SKY. Yes he’s struggled in recent times, but his latest test innings heroics means he deserves to be the next choice. I know Indian fans are excited by a new player like Yadav, but I don’t think it should be risked.

My XI would be: Rohit, Rahul, Pujara, Kohli, Vihari, Jadeja, Pant, Ashwin, Shami, Siraj, Bumrah.

Mentally, it feels like Pujara and Rahane aren’t there right now. Before this test Rahane mentioned that him and Puj aren’t effected by outside noise and feel comfortable in their game, but I don’t believe this is fully true. Pujara seems to have lost all flow in his game, and either finds himself in way too much of a shell or poking unnecessarily at deliveries outside off. Rahane also seems rattled at the crease, surprising from a man that usually exudes calmness. Exemplified by his recent form of runouts.

Virat’s struggles are most disappointing, because of the greater success that he’s had. Kohli is trying to hit his way out of trouble and it clearly wont work. He really seems a shadow of his previous self.

To be honest, at this point it only feels like a lot of luck could drag those three back in form. If the openers or Pant and/or Jadeja don’t bail the team out, India look quite a subpar batting unit.

Not sure if this relates too much but I find it kind of interesting how the usual supposed white ball/IPL specialists like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Pant have had decent test success this year, whilst the test purists Pujara and Rahane have struggled.
I wonder if those players mindfully knowing they need to adjust their natural game has helped them succeed in red ball cricket.

One thing I’d like so say about Rishabh Pant, is that for most of his test career he’s been able to cruise to 25-40 but can’t push on. In 2021 he has been able to do so a few times, hence showing his class, yet the matches in England he’s reverted back to his old self. This could be due to his over aggressive nature, rather than knuckling down. Sometimes it’s a little frustrating cause opposition captains seem to gift Pant singles with their field placements.
On him batting at 6, surely he is good enough to do so. It just depends on the makeup of the side, (whether an allrounder is played or a specialist 6th batter). I’m certain the longer Pant gives to set himself the better he performs.

I agree 100%.
That is an interesting point about how he’s still quite hard to dismiss. I guess he needs to just work at his attacking/positive mindset then, because his defensive technique will be fine.

I agree generally with the sentiments, Pujara and Rahane are becoming hindrances to the side.
(Their partnership at Lords ending up being fine enough, but I’m still going to back the following views).

People saying Pujara is just playing his natural game, anchoring the innings are wrong. An in form Pujara is able to put bad balls away and accelerate nicely, maybe even to a 50+ strike rate. Now he can’t get going at more than two runs an over, so even if he’s face a lot of balls he hasn’t made a dent.

Rahane’s form has been shoddy for a while. His first tours of the SENA countries were great, but second time around he struggled and this year he hasn’t been too good either. I think he’s a very classy guy and offers good leadership, but right now it feels like Rahane is only performing just enough to not get dropped, i.e one hundred every other series.

Realistically I think India will give them both till the end of this series, and maybe even the South Africa series at the end of the year, but I believe alternates should be considered soon.

People use Kohli’s bad form to back them up. However last time in England Kohli was magnificent and they struggled. Kohli deserves more leeway cause at his best he’s much better than Rahane and Pujara.

To be honest I think cricket in the Olympics might be similar to football in the sense that it could be for like the u23s or maybe using the ‘A’ teams. I think the cricket calendar is already quite packed for the top stars.

I’ve heard Malan and Vince are on the radar.

I think this Indian test team has a lot of mental toughness, and this gives them the ability to be a very clutch team (except against New Zealand). England might be a bit rattled for now, lucky for them they have a week break to consolidate, and probably time to select different players.

When he got hundreds Pujara was very fluent as the innings went on. I remember his knock at Adelaide 2018, the team was in trouble. He started off very slow but by his hundred he was slashing 4s and even hit a couple 6s.

Now it seems like he can’t get into that second gear, meaning even if he faces 200 balls he’ll barely get 60. Considering he’s been getting out earlier than that lately, the times Puj faces that many balls he really needs to be cashing in.

Yeah I get that. Pujara just seems way out of form right now, he was never settled. The only way he could get runs was by striking at 20, mentally he seems rattled.
Long term India might need to consider other options instead.

In saying that if he got out early, England could’ve won by now. It was way too slow but I’ll take those 45 runs.

Yeah I think long term, those options of Gill and Shaw are likely. My knowledge of Indian first class cricket isn’t great, but it seems like all the promising batting talents are top order players,(Paddikal, Shaw, Gill, Gaikwad, Jaiswal etc). I guess to start off their careers they could play in the middle order.
Tsat mentions Sundar, I could see him being groomed to become more of a batting allrounder.
I agree Jadeja deserves an opportunity at 6, he’s been in fine form with the bat but often has to usher the tail rather than be able to convert to big scores.

Yeah it feels like Rahane always makes a score just when it seems like he should be dropped. They could try Agarwal at 3, but there’s still doubts around his technique. For Rahane, there is Vihari but he’s just as inconsistent. There is also Suryakumar Yadav, an interesting choice as he’s seen as an aggressive white ball batter.

India getting to a 240 lead? I think it’ll be quite difficult. I could see them being wrapped up with only 20 more runs added. Obviously it all depends on Rishabh Pant.

NZ named rotated squads for the tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan before the World Cup. Though they did this because they’ve bowed down to the BCCI and let their main players play IPL…