New Delhi: Led by young skipper Shubman Gill, Team India took off to England on Friday for the five-match Test series starting in June. The first Test match begins on June 20 at Headingly, Leeds with a fairly young Indian team ready to give a tough fight to the Three Lions. While the squad for the England Tests consists of youngsters mostly, the experienced campaigners, though few in numbers, are also part of the team.
Pace spreadhead Jasprit Bumrah’s inclusion for the Test series is a boon for the Indian team but there’s a catch with respect to his participation in the five white ball games. Out of the total five contests, Bumrah would be available for just three matches as confirmed by the Indian team management earlier but its not yet clear that which would be the matches that Bumrah would participate in.
Play Bumrah in the toughest conditions
This precautionary measure has been put into place after the star pacer suffered a stress reaction on his back during the fifth and final Test match of BGT against Australia. Speaking exclusively on ‘Follow the Blues’, JioStar expert Aakash Chopra if he had to take a decision, he would play Bumrah where the conditions are toughest as the pacer will provide the biggest edge.
‘It’ll be tempting to play him in tougher conditions—because in difficult situations, you want your best players. You’d want Kohli in a crunch chase similarly, you want Bumrah in bowler-friendly conditions. The Oval and Birmingham will be trickier. The pitches are flatter, and you’ll need very experienced bowlers. The call will come down to how Bumrah’s body is responding. But if it were up to me, I’d play him where the conditions are toughest because that’s where he gives you the biggest edge’, Chopra said.
Chopra also commented in the young Indian squad travelling to England saying that expectations will make the challenge harder but with a new team, there is certainly some cushioning. He added that the pressure would be there but different from what an experienced team faces.
Led by young skipper Shubman Gill, Team India took off to England on Friday for the five-match Test series starting in June. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
