More question-marks over Indian batting line-up than their bowlers
WHAT changes, if any, will India make following the 72-run defeat in the enthralling first Test against South Africa at Newlands?
It’s a strange situation for Virat Kohli and Indian coach Ravi Shastri.
In seeking solutions, aspects of their personnel will be scrutinised. Among the bowlers, the need for change is probably less than with the batsmen.
Although Jasprit Bumrah’s selection in Cape Town came as a surprise, he performed well, certainly improving from the first to the second innings and picking up four wickets. Mohammed Shami after a slow start in the first innings was also close to his best in the second. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the undoubted star, with his nagging accuracy and movement off the seam, while Hardik Pandya, the exuberant young all-rounder was the perfect foil.
The Indians may ask themselves, given how well they all bowled in SA’s second innings at Newlands, if all of them are needed. Because that will relate to how they strengthen the area of their game where they were weakest in the first Test – their batting.
For all of Pandya’s endeavour in the first innings and Ravichandran Ashwin’s grit in the second, India still look a batsmen short. Rohit Sharma looks out of his depth away from home, and he is certainly not a Test No 5, but perhaps dropping him down one spot in the order and calling in Ajinkya Rahane is a direction India could go.
Rahane’s recent form is poor, but he is a class act outside of India, and while recent form, according to Kohli was the basis for Rahane’s non-selection in Cape Town, historic form may be factor that can’t be ignored at Centurion. Rahane averages 53.44 outside of India.
Accommodating Rahane – if India pick six batsmen – would mean dropping a seamer, most likely Bumrah, and while that would be harsh on the 24-year-old, the security of six batsmen to combat SA’s acknowledged physical approach is something the tourists have to seriously consider.
The other selection issue is opener Shikhar Dhawan. The 32-year-old left hand batsman, struggles against the short ball and is simply too much of a liability to continue to be picked with the series still on the line.
KL Rahul, has limited experience outside of the sub-continent, but it may be worth a gamble on India’s part to give him an opportunity at SuperSport Park.