IND vs WI 1st Test: Bumrah, Axar & Reddy India's selection dilemma for Ahmedabad Test

The Asia Cup is over, and after all the drama in Dubai, head coach Gautam Gambhir must now focus on the two-match Test series against the West Indies. The brief return to red-ball cricket before a white-ball tour of Australia will be a challenge, considering India Cricket Team will play the IND vs WI 1st Test after just a three-day gap from Asia Cup final. While Shubman Gill will return as the captain, India will be careful about Jasprit Bumrah in Ahmedabad.

Bumrah played the Asia Cup final, and he could be in action again within 96 hours. With the West Indies a weaker opponent in Test cricket, Team India might opt for Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna or Nitish Kumar Reddy instead. Team India must also take a call on the batting positions of Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal at No 3 or No 5.

Gambhir’s selection challenges

Padikkal vs Sudharsan for No 3 & 5
Is there a place for Axar Patel?
Is there a place for Nitish Kumar Reddy?
Will Jasprit Bumrah play 1st Test?

Sai Sudharsan & Devdutt Padikkal

The BCCI selection committee has decided to move on from Karun Nair after his modest returns in England. Instead, India are looking at youngsters to find a permanent solution for No 5. With Rishabh Pant set to miss the IND vs WI Test series, India need a temporary solution for No 5.

The selectors and the team management are looking at Sai Sudharsan as India’s answer to No 3. He played at No 3 in England in 6 innings, scoring 140 runs at a lowly average of 23.33. However, he showed glimpses of his talent in Manchester when he scored 61 and then a crucial knock of 38 on a difficult Oval pitch. At home conditions, India would expect Sudharsan to flourish. The conditions are expected to be batting-friendly, and that would boost Sudharsan’s confidence.

However, that would mean finding a new spot for Devdutt Padikkal. In the three innings Padikkal has played in Test cricket, he has played at No 3 and No 4. Even in the Duleep Trophy and for India A, Padikkal played at No 3 and No 4. However, for Karnataka, he has played at No 5. And that would be his new role.

With Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opening, Sai Sudharsan will be at No 3. Shubman Gill and Devdutt Padikkal will occupy No 4 and 5, followed by Dhruv Jurel at No 6 in the IND vs WI 1st Test.

IND vs WI 1st Test: Shubman Gill-Gautam Gambhir face selection dilemma on Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel & Nitish Reddy for Ahmedabad Test. — Axar Patel last played a Test for India back in February 2024 against England | Image Credit: Imago

Is there a place for Axar Patel?

In England, India did not need a fourth spinner. Hence, there was no place for Axar Patel. He was not needed in Australia either. However, in home Tests, Axar Patel has often played the all-rounder role when Washington Sundar is unavailable. This time, with Sundar set to play both Tests, Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill would need to make a tough choice. If India decide to go spin-heavy, Axar could find a place. However, if India want to go with a balanced attack, Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to come in place of Axar.

The other factor that could work against Axar is his recent bowling stats. Axar could only bag five wickets in four innings against England at home. Even in T20Is and ODIs, his bowling hasn’t yielded wickets. That could prompt India to have Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav instead. Reddy could play as the seam-bowling all-rounder.

Is there a place for Nitish Kumar Reddy?

Whether Nitish Kumar Reddy gets to make his home debut will depend on the Ahmedabad pitch and conditions. So far, the surface looks batting-friendly with a tinge of green. But it is likely to sport a dusty look on the match day. If the conditions are batting-friendly and not a rank-turner, Reddy is set to pip Axar for the spot. It would allow captain Gill to rest and rotate Bumrah in the IND vs WI 1st Test.

However, if the pitch turns out to be a rank-turner, Axar Patel could come in as the fourth spinner after Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar. But there is a chance that Reddy misses out on the 1st Test as India are unlikely to go with three seamers. In that case, India would play with two frontline seamers.

What about Jasprit Bumrah?

Bumrah played in the high-intensity Asia Cup final. And within three days, India will switch formats and take the field against West Indies. With a short gap between the two events, the India team management could opt against Bumrah in the 1st Test. However, if things go well, Bumrah could be in.

The team management is likely to take a last-minute call on Bumrah in this regard, as he needs the recovery time. With the Australia tour coming up almost immediately after the IND vs WI Test series, Team India would want to rest and rotate Bumrah. If Bumrah misses out, Prasidh Krishna is likely to get the nod.