When it comes to cricketing contests, it is unlikely for a team to change winning combinations. The Indian cricket team is coming into the third Test against England at Headingley on the back of a memorable win at Lord’s. Despite the result, expectations are high for Virat Kohli & Co. to bring one or two changes in the team.
The top two are not expected to be touched, with openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma expected to continue their good form at the top. The No. 3 position, occupied by Cheteshwar Pujara, however, has been under the spotlight for a while. The ‘Test specialist’ batsman’s poor form has had many worried and calls for the inclusion of Suryakumar Yadav or Hanuma Vihari in his place have constantly been made.
Pujara’s did give a glimpse of his old self with a 45-run knock in the second innings of the Lord’s Test but will that be enough for him to continue in the middle order?
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane are set to form the core of the middle order with Rishabh Pant. There, however, is a question mark on the place of Ravindra Jadeja. Though the southpaw has done fine with the bat, he is yet to claim a single wicket in the Test series. It is for the latter reason that the team management could think of replacing him with Ashwin in Headingley.
While the prospect of playing a second spinner can be all but ruled out, considering the success India had with a 4-pacer combination in Lord’s, Ashwin’s inclusion can only come as a replacement of Jadeja.
With Shardul Thakur also said to be fit for the match, it would be interesting to see if he replaces Ishant Sharma in the bowling unit. The fact that Shardul can also prove to be handy with the bat might work in his favour over the veteran Ishant.
Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj are indispensable to the squad and none of the three is expected to make way for Shardul.
India’s likely playing 11 for third Test:
Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara/Hanuma Vihari/Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja/R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma/Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
