A spinner or two: India face selection conundrum in bid for comeback against England
By the team management's own admission, India missed a specialist bowler at Leeds, Kuldeep Yadav to be specific, as England comfortably chased down a record 371 on day five of a game that the visitors should have won.
In the words of assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, India are grappling to find a team combination that doesn't compromise on batting depth and yet has the bowlers to take 20 wickets.
"In terms of managing the strategy there, we're looking at each bowler individually, feeling what we feel they can get wickets-wise. And then it's just trying to balance up and trying to calculate as best you can what the best chance of getting into the Test match." Doeschate admitted.
"But you need 20 wickets. So the attacking party is obviously finding someone who can get wickets as well. And we are grappling with that. We don't stop talking about that. We're trying to figure it out," he added.
The weather has been rather hot in Birmingham and the surface, bound by a decent covering of grass, is dry underneath.
On this very ground three years ago, England had gunned down a daunting 378 with ridiculous ease to draw the series. Of late, the same 22 yards have offered plenty of runs to the batters in county cricket.
The spinners will eventually come into the game and India need to decide whether they want someone like Washington Sundar who can assist Ravindra Jadeja or get Kuldeep, who is a much better wicket-taking option.
What is confirmed is that India will go in with two spinners.
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