Sarfaraz Khan likely to get Test debut as Shubman Gill may miss New Zealand Test due to injury
Preparations ahead of the three-match Test series against New Zealand have gone awry for India with an injury concern. Star opening batsman Shubman Gill is likely to miss the opening Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on account of a stiff neck. That would be a disappointment for the side which had managed to come home on the trot with an outright win of 2-0 against Bangladesh and did prove to be at the top of their game in respect to the format. But series in New Zealand would be thrilling for the cricket world and is India’s better chance of reaching the World Test Championship final again for the third consecutive time.
Shubman Gill current form:
He has been sensational, scoring a century in the second Test against Bangladesh in Chennai – his third hundred of the year. Scores of 104 and 110 against England earlier this year pretty much confirmed his position at No. 3 in Indian batting line-up. That will leave a gap that selectors would most definitely look to fill. A static batting line-up that has seen so far the comfort of one-up shows in most the games played will surely lose its stability with the loss of Gill.
The Likely Return of Sarfaraz Khan
Shubman Gill looks unlikely to take the field, and Sarfaraz Khan is more likely than not to be brought into the batting fold. All that I had been salivating for since the debut in the Test series against England was another crack at it. He impressed with three half-centuries in five innings, following which he was left out of the XI against Bangladesh with KL Rahul’s return to the format. However, Sarfaraz scripted his name in the domestic cricket books after a record-breaking knock of 222 in the Irani Cup against Rest of India a fortnight ago, that further cemented his selection case.
The No. 3 Dilemma
This is likely to be decided by the team but probably Gill at No. 3. Sarfaraz has been in good form of late, but KL Rahul has played for India at no. 3 and has experience and skill to do so again, especially with his return to the squad. It will ultimately depend on the strategy preferred by the team management and the conditions prevailing at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on match day.
Team Strategy and Conditions
Though the selection strategy for the first Test will depend on Gill’s fitness, much will still rest on how that pitch holds. That will be one of those most crucial decision-making for the captain, Rohit Sharma and the team management-they will have to decide whether they would like to play an extra spinner or an additional pace bowler in the playing XI. New Zealand comes into this Test after a 0-2 defeat in their recently concluded series against Sri Lanka. Indian bowling combinations can really be a series spoiler too.
Pitch Conditions at Bengaluru
The conditions here in Bengaluru are something that often comes up to talk about. Both the players and analysts like to discuss it. This is because the M Chinnaswamy Stadium often provides a track which would assist the pacers on certain occasions but the spinners on other occasions based on the weather and time of the day. So, whether to play the extra spinner or an additional seam bowling pacer would be one such well-coveted decision and taken after the toss. First and foremost, India should groove to the conditions if they are to genuinely have any chance of a winning contest against the aggressive New Zealanders.
Preview of the Series: Format
The Test series against New Zealand is starting here on Wednesday and will shift to Pune the following week for the second Test, from where it would conclude next month in Mumbai. Each match would be important, not only in terms of the participant’s individual performance but also regarding the position of the team in the World Test Championship.
Why Winning the Series Is Important
This would be a great chance for India to seal further victories to their advantage in the World Test Championship, apart from winning a series at home. This would usher them towards further victories and maintain their status as a powerful nation in the world of Test cricket.
Now that the Indian team is preparing for this much-needed Test series against New Zealand, does the non-inclusion of Shubman Gill quite on a sure footing raise many questions within the batting line-up and strategy? A little queasy feeling, but Sarfaraz Khan is there and ready to make the moment count, but it again is a testimony to the depth of talent within Indian ranks. India look to follow up some wonderful success and cement their route to the World Test Championship final with a very keen eye on conditions and a gritty attitude. Cricket is in the cards for the coming few days in what should turn out to be an exciting contest between two teams that have had match pitches that are very evenly matched.
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