The appointment of Shubman Gill as India’s next ODI skipper has made more rounds in headlines than the ongoing West Indies tour of India. The long-term future of both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli has been discussed so much so that the actual discussions for the India vs West Indies Test series have taken a backseat. But when the second Test in New Delhi starts, it won’t be the case.
A thumping innings victory in the opener has set the tone for the series, and the talk now should be less about combinations and more about workload. With another packed schedule ahead, including a quick turnaround to the ODI series against Australia, the team management might have to make a few calls, especially in the fast-bowling department.
Jasprit Bumrah’s workload conundrum
Jasprit Bumrah played the first Test just three days after the Asia Cup final, a decision that surprised many, even though he bowled smoothly and looked in rhythm. But Delhi could be a different challenge. The Arun Jaitley Stadium offers a black-soil surface, which generally takes spin early and doesn’t require long spells from pacers.
Given that the first Test ended inside three days and Bumrah now has a decent rest window, India might be tempted to play him again. He’s also been rested for the upcoming ODIs against Australia, which gives him a longer recovery period post this Test. All that said, it will ultimately come down to how Bumrah’s body feels, as his workload management has been, and will continue to be, a delicate balancing act. If not, Bumrah could be rested, and Prasidh Krishna could play his first Test in India.
Siraj’s case for a break
If India does look to rotate someone, Mohammed Siraj could be the one to sit out. He’s been included in the ODI squad for the Australia series starting just days after the Delhi Test, and giving him a breather now might make sense. Prasidh Krishna, who’s been around the squad and bowls a similar hard length, could be the like-for-like replacement. With the pitch expected to assist spin more than pace, India wouldn’t lose much balance by making this one change.
Yes, Siraj would be rearing to play the Delhi Test but with no Bumrah for the India vs Australia ODIs, Siraj should be fresh enough to play all the three one-day internationals Down Under.
Predicted India Playing XI for 2nd Test vs WI
| Batting order | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batter |
| 2 | KL Rahul | Batter |
| 3 | Sai Sudharsan | Batter |
| 4 | Shubman Gill (C) | Batter |
| 5 | Dhruv Jurel (wk) | Keeper |
| 6 | Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder |
| 7 | Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-rounder |
| 8 | Washington Sundar | All-rounder |
| 9 | Kuldeep Yadav | Bowling All-rounder |
| 10 | Jasprit Bumrah/Prasidh Krishna | Pacer |
| 11 | Mohammed Siraj | Pacer |
No room for Devdutt Padikkal…yet
Despite chatter around Devdutt Padikkal’s red-ball promise, there’s simply no vacancy in this current XI. The batting order looks settled, with Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy both needing more time to cement their spots. Unless India experiment heavily, Padikkal will have to wait for his turn, possibly in a future series and if Sudharsan fails to do anything significant.
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