Another day in Indian cricket. Another format. Another change of guard. Another new beginning.
Amid winds of change, Rohit Sharma is set to start off new innings as the captain of the Test team as India take on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, first of which will be played in Mohali and the second in Bengaluru.
India have endured a bumpy ride in the Test arena since the start of the new World Test Championship cycle. The 2-1 loss to South Africa last month hurt even more especially because India were 1-0 up in the three match series and it was a great chance to conquer the final frontier against a Proteas side in transition.
India’s captain Rohit Sharma, left, listens to head coach Rahul Dravid as they watch players train during a practice session. AP
The defeat sparked a sea of changes as Virat Kohli, surprisingly, stepped down as the Test captain. And then the old guard of Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha was dropped from the squad for the Sri Lanka series.
Such was the promptness of the change that all the four players were informed of their sacking for the Sri Lanka series “immediately after the South Africa series”.
Now without the old guard, Rohit and Rahul Dravid would be looking to hit the refresh button and get their campaign back on track in the Test arena and build for the future.
As India start off a new journey under Rohit in the Sri Lanka series, the microscopic focus will be on the middle order. It’s been a problem area for the Indians for a while now. In the absence of Pujara and Rahane, the onus will fall on the relatively less experienced guys to step up and stake a claim.
In the South Africa series, the Indian middle order averaged just 26.85 runs per wicket while in comparison South Africa’s averaged a good seven runs more at 34.36 which helped them chase down two competitive fourth innings total back to back and clinch the series.
In the last two years (Since 1 Jan 2020), the Indian middle order (No 3-7) has had the second-worst average in Test cricket — 27.85, only West Indies have been poorer with 25.84.
None of the middle order batsmen in that period have averaged over 40 (for players who have played more than 5 matches). Rishabh Pant has the highest average at 37.57 while all others have averaged below 30 which includes the senior trio of Virat Kohli (28.14), Cheteshwar Pujara (25.72), Ajinkya Rahane (24.08). And there have been just four centuries scored from the middle order — two by Pant, one by Shreyas Iyer and one by Rahane.
It has impacted the overall batting as India have averaged 25.41, fourth worst overall in the last two years.
India’s conveyor belt keeps churning out talent and despite dropping the senior players, there is a selection conundrum for the middle order spots. There are three players competing for two spots.
The Sri Lanka series presents a chance for Hanuma Vihari, who hasn’t done much wrong in Test cricket but still searching for a consistent run in the side, to seal his place in the middle order.
With Rohit back, he is set to open the batting. Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill might battle it out for the other opening spot. Mayank had a tough tour of South Africa where he could garner just one fifty-plus score and averaged 22.50. However, in the New Zealand series at home that preceded the South Africa tour, he averaged 60.50, scoring 242 runs from two matches, including a century and a fifty-plus score. It might catalyse his case but if he gets the opportunity he would need to convert it into consistency with intense competition in the team.
Gill has recovered from a shin injury he suffered against New Zealand and would be looking to get into the groove quickly if he gets that opportunity. He’s averaged 32.82 in the Test arena and he too would be looking to attain consistency.
There are a few permutations and combinations for the No 3 slot. Iyer seems to be in form of his life and in the recently concluded T20I series against Sri Lanka, finished as the Player of the Series, scoring three fifties in three matches at No 3, finishing off the innings/chase in all three.
Shreyas burst onto the Test scene in some style with a century and a fifty on Test debut against New Zealand last year. And with the Mumbai batter brimming with confidence, the team management would be tempted to let him continue and carry forward that momentum in the Test arena. However, the other option is they could slot in Gill at No 3 which might mean Iyer will have to wait in the wings or he plays and Vihari misses out. Kohli will bat at four while Pant might bat at 5. The No 3 and 6 slots might be taken by two of Vihari, Gill or Iyer.
The limelight will be on Kohli as well. He is set to play his 100th Test in Mohali. Amid the special occasion, the former India captain would be looking to get back to his best after indifferent form in the last couple of years where he’s averaged 28.14 and the wait for that 28th century has stretched to 27 innings now.
Kohli has a liking for Sri Lanka as he’s averaged 77.23 (His second-best after Bangladesh) from 9 matches with five centuries (including a double) and two fifties. After being rested for the last T20I against West Indies and the whole of Sri Lanka T20I series, a fresh Kohli’s eyes will be firmly on that 28th and getting it on his 100th Test will be icing on the cake.
India might not move away from the five-bowler theory. Jadeja slots in right back in the starting eleven. India missed him in the South Africa series where his handy lower-order runs would have been crucial. India generally tend to play three spinners and two pacers at home. Ashwin was undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy and his availability was subject to his fitness but three days ahead of the Test series, vice captain Jasprit Bumrah informed that Ashwin “looked good, he looked very comfortable in training today. He was bowling, batting, fielding, he did everything, so I think he is shaping up really well.”
This points to Ashwin taking up the second spinner’s spot while the third will be decided between Kuldeep Yadav, who is back in the Test squad, and Jayant Yadav. India might go for a three-pacer-two-spinner strategy for the Pink-ball Test in Bengaluru. They however had gone in with two pacers in their last D/N Test, against England in Ahmedabad last year. Bumrah will spearhead the pace attack while Mohammed Shami might take up that second pacer slot.
India will be in search of crucial World Test Championship points as well. They haven’t had a good start to the second cycle and are in the fifth position with 49.07 percentage of points won (PCT). They have already played 10 matches and it’s a tough road ahead. They would be desperately looking to win both the Tests and garner maximum points.
Whatever their recent form, India are a fire-breathing dragon at home and Sri Lanka will face an uphill task on Indian soil. Lankans had a good time in the Test arena last year and have won their last two series, against Bangladesh and West Indies, both at home and drew a series on the West Indies tour.
Their batters have done well in the last couple of years. Lahiru Thirimanne is back after opting out of the West Indies series while Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis return after the England tour bio-bubble breach bans.
In the last two years (Since 1 Jan 2020), a total of four Sri Lankan batsmen have averaged over 50 — Captain Dimuth Karunaratne (57.38), Dhananjaya de Silva (64.90), Thirimanne (50.69) and Angelo Mathews (52.83).
Thirimanne is expected to open with Karunaratne while De Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Angelo Mathews may form the fulcrum of the middle order.
The Indian batters vs Sri Lankan spinners will be a fascinating battle to watch. India have struggled a bit against spin of late and the quality of Sri Lankan spinners will post a bigger challenge to the Indians. Left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya, who is by far Sri Lanka’s best bowler in the last few years, will pose the biggest threat. Since 1 Jan 2020, he has picked the most wickets for Sri Lanka — 45, at 29.37, striking every 59.5 balls.
Leg spinner Jeffrey Vandersay might be in line to make his debut while De Silva and Praveen Jayawickrama are the other spinners in the line-up. The Lankans too will be expected to go in with three spinners. Suranga Lakmal is expected to lead the pace attack with Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, and Vishwa Fernando competing for the other spot.
Historically, India have had an upper hand over the Lankans, having won 20 of the 44 matches and lost just 7 with 17 ending in a draw. Sri Lanka haven’t won a Test series against India since 2008 when they beat them 2-1 at home. But staggeringly, Sri Lanka haven’t won a single Test on Indian soil. They have lost 11 of the 20 matches played with nine ending in draws.
No side has won a Test series in India in the last 10 years, since England beat them 2-1. Realistically, a series win seems far fetched for the Lankans, however, with the talent they possess, and if they play to their potential, a historic first Test win on Indian soil cannot be completely ruled out.
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