5 takeaways from India’s Test squad announcement as tourists gamble on Jasprit Bumrah selection
Following a short break from Test cricket that saw them indulge in some white ball action with the Asia Cup, India return to home comforts in the new week as they get ready to face the West Indies in a two-Test series.
Currently ranked as the fourth best Test team in the world, behind Australia, world champions South Africa and England, the Indian squad that will take on the men from the Caribbean looks very strong.
They will certainly fancy their chances on home soil. But there are also some big talking points around the selection – both in terms of who was included and who isn’t there.
Let’s take a quick look to see who will and who won’t be facing the Windies when the first Test starts in Ahmedabad.
1. Karun Nair dropped
Once considered the next big hope of Indian batting after his unforgettable triple century against England in 2016, Karun Nair finds himself out of favour once again.
The right-hander had been recalled to the wider Test squad earlier this year as cover, but with more established names like Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer all available, Nair has been left out.
His omission underlines the brutal competition for batting places in the India line-up. For a player of his talent, the drop is significant – and unless he dominates the domestic circuit once more, his Test career may struggle to reignite, he is after all 33 years old.
Commenting on his omission from the squad chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar was brutal in his assessment of the situation saying: “We expected more from Karun. Padikkal offers a little bit more at this point.
Wish we could give everyone 15-20 Tests, unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Padikkal was in the Test squad in Australia, played against England in Dharamsala, got a fifty there. He’s shown some decent form. Frankly, we expected a bit more from Karun.”
2. Rishabh Pant still recovering
One of the most notable absences is Rishabh Pant, who continues his recovery from the injury incurred during the series against England.
Pant is the eighth ranked Test batsman in the world so the temptation to include him in the mix would have been high, but circumspection is usually best, and the mercurial gloveman will be afforded slightly longer to get himself rehabilitated.
While KL Rahul could be asked to don the gloves (he does a good enough job in white-ball cricket), it looks likely that Dhruv Jurel will be the man who gets the nod and who will add to his five Test caps.
Rahul will certainly play – he just won’t keep wicket. The other keeping option in the mix is the as yet uncapped Narayan Jagadeesan.
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3. Is Jasprit Bumrah a gamble?
Jasprit Bumrah’s return is both a relief and a concern. The fast bowler has been India’s spearhead in all formats, but his back injury last year forced him into a lengthy layoff.
Though he looked sharp in the Asia Cup, Test cricket is an altogether different physical demand. India’s selectors clearly trust that he is ready to shoulder the workload, but it remains a gamble.
He was rested for two of the Tests against England – including the crucial fifth game as India sought to manage his load.
With Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Shami also in the squad, the management may look to rotate Bumrah rather than push him too hard, especially with tougher assignments against South Africa and England ahead.
4. No space for Akash Deep
Akash Deep has impressed in domestic cricket and in the IPL with his sharp seam movement, was tipped by some to be included, especially after his very solid performance during the England series – after Siraj and Bumrah he was India’s most successful bowler with 13 wickets.
Yet the selectors have opted against picking him for this series, probably recognizing that spin is going to play a big role and that he will be largely surplus to requirement.
The message seems clear: India wants to build depth, but the Test arena is not the place to experiment lightly. For Akash, the focus will shift to continuing his good form in the Ranji Trophy and India A matches, which may yet open the door to a future call-up.
5. How about some Varun Chakravarthy?
Every time India announces a squad, the clamour for mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy surfaces. His variations have caused problems in T20 cricket, but he is still far from the selectors’ radar in Tests.
With Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel all competing for places, there was simply no room for another spinner even though Chakravarthy has been causing all sorts of problems with the white ball in the Asia Cup.
While Chakravarthy averages 15.21 and 19 per wicket in T20I and ODI respectively he has very little experience of First-Class cricket with just a single game in the format to his credit.
Until he can add more durability and consistency in the longer version, his Test chance may remain a pipe dream, despite his excellent form in the shorter fare. As it stands Varun has claimed 18 wickets in his last nine game with a strike rate of 10.66.
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