After probably missing an attacking bowler on Day 5 of the Headingley Test, India might be hitting the desperation button in Birmingham as far as their combination is concerned. Yashasvi Jaiswal was at the centre of all the headlines because of the dropped chances but despite having five centuries with the bat, India didn't helped themselves with support bowling and the lower-order batting in the first Test and if the assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate's words are to be believed, India might be going back to their two spinners formula.
“There is a very strong chance of playing two spinners. It’s just which two we play," ten Doeschate told press, a couple of days before the start of the second Test at Edgbaston. "All three spinners are bowling very nicely. Washi’s batting is going very nicely. So it’s just which combination do we go with? All-rounder spinner or the out-and-out spinner? And, you have to play the bowling all-rounder again," the former Dutch cricketer added.
Ravindra Jadeja, the experienced all-rounder, had a disappointing outing in Leeds in both departments. If India are keen to have someone like Kuldeep Yadav assuming the track goes flat like it did last week, it will be a tough decision to make for the visitors, whether to retain someone like Jadeja, who wasn't as effective with the ball on the final day or bring in Washington Sundar, who has proven his skills before in both departments.
Ten Doeschate didn't reveal as to what they will go for, but mentioned that how the pitch and the weather look on the first morning of the game in Birmingham would have a say in the decision.
"So there are so many different variables. The wicket has got 11 mils [mm of grass] at the moment, 11 or 12, I can't remember which of the two, but it's quite grassy and patchy.
“It's quite dry underneath, but there's also rain forecast for Wednesday, so again trying to weigh up the two options of how we want to go attack-wise, but I'm pretty sure two spinners will play in this Test," he added. Which two spinners will play will also depend a lot on whether Jasprit Bumrah's name is on the sheet or not, as if he doesn't play, Kuldeep might become a mandatory inclusion.
