Jasprit Bumrah call goes unheard for 2nd England Test; India make brutal call to fit in Nitish Kumar Reddy
The Indian team management made as many as three changes in the playing XI for the second Test match against England, with the aim of levelling the score in Birmingham, having lost the series opener by five wickets in Leeds last month. India's Jasprit Bumrah during the warm up before the match(Action Images via Reuters)
India captain Shubman Gill revealed on Tuesday in the pre-match presser that fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was available for selection in the second Test. But despite requests from most experts, including former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who warned that it might cost the visitors, the present management decided to rest the 31-year-old in a bid to manage his workload and keep him fit and well-rested for the third game at Lord's.
"Just to manage his workload. We did get a good break and this is an important match for us. But the third Test being at Lord's, we think there'll be more in that pitch so we'll use him there," explained Gill after losing the toss. Akash Deep was picked as Bumrah's replacement in the playing XI.
This is a huge gamble from India, especially after Bumrah was the only fast bowler to trouble the English batters in Leeds, having picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings, while his fellow quicks struggled to find the right length. The lack of support across the two innings even drew criticism from experts. Sai Sudharsan dropped!
India also brutally dropped Sai Sudharsan, who made his debut in Leeds and batted at No. 3, from the playing XI in a bid to add more depth to the pace-bowling unit with the addition of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. This implies Karun Nair will bat a position higher
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Birmingham [UK], July 4 (ANI): Following his side's fine day at field on day two of the Test, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja hailed skipper Shubman Gill's historic double ton, saying that it did not look like he was going to get dismissed and the 'extra responsibility' of captaincy does not show in his batting. Gill produced a masterclass for ages, with his 387-ball 269 propelling India to 587 before three early wickets left England tottering at 25/3, and the hosts ended their day at 77/3, with Joe Root (18*) and Harry Brook (30*) on the crease. After India was 211/5 on day one, Gill's 203-run stand with Jadeja (89 in 107 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and 144-run stand with Washington Sundar (42 in 103 balls, with three fours and a six). Speaking during the post-day presser, Jadeja said about Gill's knock, 'Honestly, he looks very confident. He does not look like a captain in batting. He has been given an extra responsibility. He is carrying everything with him. I do not feel anything like that in his batting. Even today, unluckily, the ball went in his (fielder's) hand. But today, I did not feel that he would be out in this inning. He played very well. When we were batting together, we were talking about partnership. That we will have a long partnership, and we will keep talking to each other.' Speaking about his conversations with 13-year-old Kuldeep Yadav, Jadeja said that it is about the balance of the team and if Kuldeep gets a chance, he will prove to be a 'wicket-taking option'. 'The team needs balance. You will get a chance. But when we go out, we do not talk about cricket. We talk about something else. You should not think about things that are not in the player's control. When you get a chance to perform, it will be for the team's benefit,' he added. On the presence of spin on this wicket so far, Jadeja noted that the surface has not assisted them much, and the spinner's role is to keep the right field and bowl in the right areas to create problems for a batter. 'Even now, I will say that there is nothing in front of me. I haven't seen a single ball spin in two days. As the game progresses, I hope that the spinner gets more help from such wickets. As the game progresses, the pressure of the scoreboard will also remain in the batsman's mind,' he concluded. (ANI)
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England spin bowling coach hails Gill for
Birmingham [UK], July 4 (ANI): Following a hard day in the field, England spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel hailed Indian skipper Shubman Gill for his 'masterclass' double ton, saying that it left bowlers and fielders tired. Gill produced a knock for ages, breaking several records with a 387-ball 269 on day two at Birmingham on Thursday. Speaking about the knock in the post-day presser, Jeetan said, 'He has put on a proper masterclass in how to bat on a good wicket. But the guys threw everything at him, and rightly so, very tired after their efforts.' 'But I think to take 10 wickets on that, for us anyway, has been fantastic. And they have shown that it seems like a little bit of a new ball wicket where it can do a little bit to start. No one really knows how the older ball can react in days from now,' added Jeetan while appreciating India's bowling and praising his bowlers too. Jeetan also lauded Team India bowlers for using the new ball well, especially after staying away from bowling duties for a day and a half. 'I think we did the same yesterday (using the new ball well), it just did not go our way, I suppose. And it may have been a little bit different if we did get those opportunities (missed reviews and chances), but that was yesterday, and today's today. So there is obviously another day tomorrow where we will come in, hopefully, as shown so far, the older ball has got softer, and it hasn't done as much, and been harder to get the ball to go sideways,' he added. At the end of the day's play, England was 77/3, with Joe Root (18*) and Harry Brook (30*) unbeaten. England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett came to the crease with a task to overcome a massive deficit of 587 runs set by India in the first innings. Crawley put out a statement of his positive intent with two boundaries against Akash Deep in the first over. However, the seamer got the last laugh against the batters, removing both Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks on two successive balls in the third over, reducing England to 13/2. Joe Root joined Crawley; however, the partnership did not last too long as Mohammed Siraj's short of length outside off delivery went straight into Karun Nair's hands at slips. Crawley walked back for a 30-ball 19, reducing England to 25/3. Root and Brook guided England through the remainder of the session without any wickets lost, forming an unbeaten fifty-run stand. At Tea, India was 564/7, with Gill (265*) and Akash Deep (0*) unbeaten. India kickstarted the second session at 419/6, with Gill (168*) joined by Washington Sundar (1*). Washington and Gill moved cautiously for the first few overs, before Gill let his hands loose against Shoaib Bashir's spin and Josh Tongue's pace, fetching himself two fours and a six within a matter of eight deliveries. Gill's boundary towards deep backwards square leg brought up 450 runs for India in 117.3 overs. Gill was stuck on 199 as Washington Sundar collected a four and six against Tongue in the 120th over. Finally, with a single off Tongue's delivery on the first ball of the 122nd over, Gill reached his maiden double ton in Test cricket, bringing down an array of records and becoming only the third Indian after Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to do so. After reaching the milestone, Gill got even more free-flowing, unleashing a brilliant reverse sweep and a beautiful glide against Bashir for two successive fours and smashing Harry Brook's part-time medium pace for a hat-trick of boundaries, including two beautiful drives straight down the ground. With these, Gill overtook Sunil Gavaskar to register the highest-ever score by an Indian in England. A cut against Brydon Carse helped India reach the 500-run mark in 127.1 overs. Boundaries just kept flowing as Gill-Sundar reached the century stand for the seventh wicket in just 136 balls. Gill reached the 250-run mark with a four against Harry Brook, in 348 balls, with 29 fours and three sixes. Joe Root's part-time spin delivered the magic for England, as he uprooted Washington's stumps for 42 in 103 balls, with three fours and a six, ending an incredible 144-run partnership. India was 558/7 in 138.4 overs. Akash Deep and Gill made sure India did not lose another wicket. At the end of a largely India-dominant first session, India was 419/6, with Gill (168*) joined by Washington Sundar (1*). India started the first session at 310/5, with Gill (114*) and Jadeja (41*) unbeaten. On the very first ball of the inning, Gill collected an easy single to bring up a century stand in 143 balls. There was no changing this duo's positive intent and searching for runs, as Jadeja got two boundaries against Chris Woakes in the 87th over. With a single off Woakes' delivery, Jadeja completed his 23rd half-century in Test and seventh against England. It came in 80 balls, with six fours. He continued his attacking game, cutting and punching against skipper Ben Stokes' pace. India reached the 350-run mark after a single in 94.5 overs. In the 96th over, it was Gill's time to attack, slicing and driving Brydon Carse as the runs continued to leak, piling up England's worries. The 150-run stand came up between Jadeja and Gill before the drinks as India continued to strangulate English bowlers. Gill continued to produce some exquisite shots, reaching his first-ever 150 in Tests in 263 balls, with 17 fours. It was the second 150-plus score by an Indian captain in England after Mohammad Azharuddin's 179 at Old Trafford in 1990. As the innings crossed 100 overs and India marched towards the 400-run mark, a highlight was a smooth reverse sweep played by the Indian skipper against Shoaib Bashir through the vacant backwards point region in the 103rd over. In the 106th over by Bashir, Jadeja's six on the first ball helped India reach the 400-run mark, while the one on the last ball by the left-hander again helped Gill and him complete a double century partnership. England's toil and perseverance finally bore fruit, as a short-ball from Josh Tongue rattled Jadeja, who landed a catch to Jamie Smith, going back for 89 in 137 balls, with 10 fours and a six. India was 414/6 in 107.3 overs. Washington Sundar joined Gill to end the session without any further loss of wickets. Brief Scores: India: 587 (Shubman Gill 265, Ravindra Jadeja 89, Shoaib Bashir 3/167) against England: 77/3 (Harry Brook 30*, Joe Root 18*, Akash Deep 2/36). (ANI)
