Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: Several things went wrong for Team India in the opening Test of the three-match series against New Zealand. First, captain Rohit Sharma misjudged the Bengaluru pitch, resulting in India being bowled out for mere 46 — their lowest total at home. Second, the Indian bowlers struggled as New Zealand’s batters dominated, building a massive 356-run lead.Lastly, apart from Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and young Sarfaraz Khan, India’s batting collapsed again in the second innings, losing seven wickets for just 54 runs.
Now trailing the three-match series 0-1, India may re-consider their playing XI as they head into the second Test, starting Thursday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
KL Rahul, whose form has been under scrutiny, particularly after his disappointing scores of 0 and 12 in the first Test, might be at risk of losing his spot. After the defeat in the first Test, allrounder Washington Sundar was added to the squad.
However, former India bowler Venkatpathy Raju believes Rohit should stick with the same eleven, including the “experienced” KL Rahul, despite his recent struggles.
“I don’t think we should tinker with the playing XI. If I were the captain, I would go with the same side. You need experienced hands in your team. You can’t bench KL Rahul after just one Test match. He is an experienced batter and should play the next Test. There’s no need to panic. India are still on top of the WTC standings. Rohit is a positive captain. He goes in with a positive approach, and he knows that what’s done is done, and now it’s time to level the series. I’m sure he will,” Raju told TimesofIndia.com.
In his last five innings, KL Rahul has failed to make a significant impact, with only one fifty in India’s recent series against Bangladesh. Earlier this year, he scored a half-century against England and a century in South Africa, but his inconsistency has sparked doubts about his place in the squad. His performance in Bengaluru has only added to the speculation surrounding his future in the Test team.
“India already have three spinners who played the Bengaluru Test. Washington will only be included if there is an injury. On the basis of one match, we shouldn’t panic. Conditions were different in Bengaluru. No one knew how the pitch would behave. It happens. Weather is not in our hands. We’ve played good cricket, and that 46 all-out should be left behind. It’s in the past, and the past should be buried. We should learn and move on. Rohit’s focus should be on the next two Tests, and I’m confident India will bounce back and win the series,” he said.
“India should think about those five Tests in Australia and not panic. Let’s play KL Rahul in the second Test and give him a chance. He’ll bounce back. He has experience. India just need to pull up their socks. That’s it,” Raju added.
INDIA NEED A FAST-BOWLING ALLROUNDER
India have two experienced spin allrounders, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, but Raju feels they need a fast-bowling allrounder in their setup as well.
Raju expressed surprise that Rohit chose to go with only two fast bowlers — Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj — in the Bengaluru Test.
“India are missing a fast-bowling allrounder. A fast-bowling allrounder plays a huge role in the team. We have spin allrounders like Ashwin, Jadeja, and Washington, but not a single fast-bowling allrounder. I was surprised India picked only two fast bowlers for the Bengaluru Test,” Raju said.
“Hardik Pandya is there, but is he willing to play red-ball cricket? Is he ready for Tests? I don’t think he wants to. If he’s available, it’s a huge plus for the team. A fast-bowling allrounder eases the captain’s burden. You get an extra fast bowler and a batter at the same time,” he added.
