Expect bowlers to be rotated through Test series: Broad
England pacer Stuart Broad said he and James Anderson are likely to be rotated through the five-Test series against India starting August 1 as part of the team management’s strategy to balance the duo’s workload.
At the back-end of their careers, the 36-year-old Anderson took a six-week break to get rid of his shoulder injury while the 32-year-old Broad had limped off during a county match earlier this season.
KEY FACTORS
“It will depend on tosses, pitches, workloads. If (there are) two Tests of 250 overs in the field each, it’s unrealistic to think your seam bowlers will play five Tests in six weeks. But if you have a Test, where you bowl them out in 80 or 60 overs, that changes your thinking,” Broad told reporters during an interaction.
“If the pitches turn square and the spinners do a lot of the work, you might not bowl so much.
“But come on when the ball starts to reverse swing, so sometimes your workloads can be higher if it is green and nibbling,” Broad added.
The senior speedster also revealed that the team management has already conveyed that rotation of seamers is on the cards.
Ashwin, if picked, is expected to bat at No 8. Although he flopped in 2014, his experience could be vital if the pitch wears out faster due to a dry English summer until this weekend.
Umesh looked the sharpest in the warm-up against Essex, taking four wickets. He bowled with pace, extracted late movement and ball skidded off the pitch too.
Having played 12 of the 13 matches during India’s home swing in 2016-17 and done well, he didn’t get a game in South Africa. This five-match series will be seen as a great opportunity for Umesh to pair up with Ishant.
Of his 37 Tests, he has played 15 away, seven of them in Australia where he has a decent record. Letting him loose here could be a game-changer if he bowls with discipline.
Ishant will be expected to deliver. On India’s 2014 tour, he captured seven wickets in the second innings to hand the visitors a famous win at Lord’s. After his stint with Sussex, he was solid in the Essex game, taking three wickets.
Shami, India’s most successful bowler in South Africa with 15 scalps, was rusty. He has had little match practice since that big series, and missed most of IPL games due to a family dispute. His dodgy knee too needs to be managed, but is the most skilful among the pacers.
With England looking to rotate James Anderson and Stuart Broad to manage workload, and Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar expected to play later on, it could be time to show India have come of age in pace department.
BIRMINGHAM: There have been small conversations saying don’t be disheartened if you are left out for a Test match.
STUART BROAD, On rotation
MANAGING BOWLERS
“I think there has already been small conversations saying don’t be disheartened if you are left out for a Test match.
“It’s not a personal attack or dropping, it’s management of your bowlers to make sure we give ourselves the best chance,” Broad explained about the rationale behind rotation with five Tests squeezed in six weeks.
The bowler said that he doesn’t want a situation where he is dropped for poor form.
CLEAR IN MIND
“I won’t get to the stage where I am left out at say, Lord’s, and go back and play county cricket. It’s you’re missing out, fresh bowlers come in, you stay around (the squad), keeping talking, stay part of the unit so it’s only natural to expect small changes throughout the five Test matches but the bowlers have to be able to take it,” Broad said.