Options aplenty, India set to experiment again
MUMBAI: Not often are four rookies and two capped players, with a combined experience of four matches, selected for a Test series. With Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur all tipped to make their debut in the upcoming two-Test series against West Indies, the 15-member squad is a reflection of the abundant confidence the team management has in its bench.
Along with the newcomers are also the likes of Rishabh Pant (three Tests) and Hanuma Vihari (one Test). One might say the opposition, languishing at eighth place in the ICC rankings, may not be of the same league as England or Australia but the stakes are still high — these two Tests are the last five-day engagements before the side heads to Australia for what should be a dogged tour.
DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
Given India have transformed into a ruthless unit in sub-continent conditions, pressure to snuff out opposition will be omnipresent. A draw is as good as a loss, at least at home. But the pressure doesn’t just end there for the rookies. It’s the uncertainty. For example, it took Karun Nair just three innings before he slammed an unbeaten triple century against England. Nair went on to play three more Tests before he was summarily dropped from the team and the purview of selection.
Same was the case with Jayant Yadav, who after being picked as full-time spinner, went on to become the first Indian to slam a century at No 9 in his very third Test. The two feats had come in successive Tests as India notched a 4-0 win in the five-match series against England. Yadav too endured a fate similar to Nair’s, going on to play just one more Test after that feat, totaling four Tests in his brief career. It shows how even a great effort off limited opportunities may not guarantee a spot in future.
BENCH STRENGTH
Unlike the situation a decade back where one could blindly guess the Indian starting XI, things have changed drastically in the recent past. Under skipper Virat Kohli, India fielded a different playing eleven for 37 Tests before retaining it for the first time in the 4th Test against England.
India have won 22 matches under Kohli, mostly in the subcontinent, and lost nine. Having the luxury of a good bench has allowed India more favourable results despite some serious setbacks overseas. Also, unlike previous generations, India have the option to choose players according to the formats. That’s good news for any captain, despite the headache that comes with it.
A range of options also gives the management an overall perspective of players who can be drafted in if any regular is sidelined before the World Cup. That shows how far India have come in the department of preparing a strong bench.