A 22-run defeat at Lord’s to Team India, looked like, would bring a lot of purpose in the side — in how they wanted to play thier cricket. But that couldn’t be further from truth. A bunch of mistakes on the part of the management, including skipper Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir, have pushed India on the brink of a Test series loss against England after 2018.
Confused Selection — Extra All-rounder Ploy Fails
The Manchester Test started with the expectation, that India wouldn’t fall for the gamble of playing extra all-rounder for a specialist batter or a bowler. But suddenly, in came Shardul Thakur, who was sacked from the team after the first Test in Leeds for Nitish Kumar Reddy. He was under-bowled there, and under-bowled at Old Trafford too, sending down 11 overs for 55 runs.
Kuldeep Yadav was once again ignored for an extra pacer in Anshul Kamboj. Dhruv Jurel was ignored for an extra all-rounder, who served no purpose at all.
Lack of Trust in Spinners/ Sixth Bowler
This has been a pattern. Somehow Shubman Gill has lack of trust in the bowling abilities of the likes of Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy combined, generally speaking. That was perhaps why he brought on Washi to bowl in the current Test, in the 68th over only, when England were easily over 300, for two wickets down.
Post that too, the spinner proved his worth by picking two wickets, and maintaining an economy of 3, the best in the line up, but Gill continued to under-utilise him, for reasons best known to him.
Jasprit Bumrah & Mohammed Siraj Breaking Backs
Okay, you want to make the best use of Jasprit Bumrah, but him bowling over 30 overs is not justified at all, that too with the kind of fragile body he has. On day 3, he seriously looked in some trouble, where his speeds were in the range of 130-132 kmph. Similar was the case with Siraj; although he doesn’t have fitness issues, but this is his fourth match on the trot, and he too has bowled 30 overs in the innings, without much returns. What does Gill and Gautam Gambhir want out of these pacers?
What even added to the frustration was — despite their lack of returns on the previous day, they were given a spell to start the day 4, when the ball was already 55 overs old.
Anshul Kamboj Struggling with Bowling/Fitness
India bowled 157 overs to England. Debutant pacer Anshul Kamboj, who was sent in as a replacement to Akash Deep, was drafted in the playing XI immediately. But out of all these overs, Kamboj only bowled 18, where he gave away 89 runs. His last over was on day 3, over no. 101 of the innings, and after that did not bowl at all.
Was there an injury concern to the youngster, or did he develop it during the match? Two important questions arise here. If he had a niggle before hand, then why did the management pick him? If he developed something during the match — that puts a big question mark over the domestic level players. How could his body not sustain Test match rigours — that too in his maiden international match?
Lastly, if he was fully fit, and the captain did not have enough confidence in his abilities, then what was the need to play him at all? Though the Test match is still not over, but truth be told, it will take an effort of a lifetime to save this one, with England leading by 311.
