India Face Uncertain Selection Decisions Before Edgbaston Test

India is approaching the Edgbaston Test with a number of tricky decisions to take. Despite the fact that there are no fitness concerns about Jasprit Bumrah the management is still in doubt about playing him in the game. The primary reason for the uncertainty is the crammed schedule. Though there is a week gap between the second and third Tests the fourth Test at Lord's will arrive soon after Edgbaston. Due to this the team is looking at holding back Bumrah for later games when conditions could favor him more.

Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate says Bumrah is fit and has been practicing regularly. But the coaching staff are attempting to plan his workload intelligently as he is likely to play in only three of the five Tests. They are considering factors such as the pitch conditions and weather forecast. If the Edgbaston pitch appears to favor spin bowling and the weather becomes erratic, the team could decide to rest Bumrah and reserve him for matches where his talents would be best utilized like at Lord's or The Oval. Bumrah's skill with exploiting the slope at Lord's would make all the difference and India might like to make most of that opportunity.

Although India trails the series by one match the side feels they can recover without Bumrah. Edgbaston pitch has uneven grass and appears dry below which would favor spinners. There is also a light rain forecast on Days 1 4 and 5. These conditions may enable India to play two spinners and navigate the match without Bumrah at hand. In the second Test despite Bumrah not taking wickets in the second innings the team struggled hard and came near. India understands that one bowler cannot win a match on his own and the rest of the bowling unit has to rise to the occasion.

The concept of having two spinners is picking up among the selectors of the team. Ravindra Jadeja is as good as confirmed and the discussion is now about who will be his partner. Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar are in the running. Kuldeep can provide genuine spin while Washington provides batting depth which can be crucial on a pitch that seems to be dry but has some grass on it. The decision hinges on whether India seeks a more aggressive bowling attack or a more well-rounded team with an additional batter.

Ryan ten Doeschate clarified that all three spinners were doing fine in the nets. Washington has also been in good touch with the bat. The side is attempting to find the right balance between attack and depth. They are considering how to secure twenty wickets which is what is needed to win a Test match but without compromising the batting order too much. The groundsmen have left about eleven or twelve millimeters of grass on the pitch but it is dry underneath so getting the reading right is crucial.

The other element in the selection jigsaw is the fielding setup and allrounder role. During training Nitish Kumar Reddy was found playing an important role in the slip cordon with Sai Sudharsan swapping spots between fourth slip and gully. Yashasvi Jaiswal did not take part in this drill most probably because of his fumbling at Headingley. This indicates that the team is working immensely towards strengthening fielding positions and placing players at the right spots. Karun Nair KL Rahul and skipper Shubman Gill appear to have retained their spots in the team for the time being.

Nitish Reddy is also in the running close by for the allrounder position. He played a fantastic debut match in Australia where he played a century on Boxing Day and has been watched closely since then. In the previous game the team selected Shardul Thakur who is a bowling allrounder. But this time there is thought of having a batting allround player and Nitish does fit the bill. As per ten Doeschate Nitish is almost guaranteed to be in the playing eleven and would be a sure bet for this game.

India's management is attempting to piece together a complex jigsaw puzzle. They are looking to win the next game but also to plan ahead for the remainder of the series. Bumrah is their prime bowling weapon but wisely deploying him is greater than deploying him straight away. They need to consider the pitch the weather the bowling-batting balance and even the fielding setup before determining who steps out to play.

Shubman Gill had previously made a big claim about selecting four tail-enders so that the side is able to get twenty wickets. But things aren't as easy as it sounds in reality. If India are 200 for 5 then the absence of batting depth can come back to haunt them severely. The side is always assessing how many runs each bowler can score and to what extent they are capable of taking wickets. They are not in a hurry to take a decision and will most probably finalize the playing eleven at the last minute.