Reports | Team India set to drop Ravindra Jadeja to accommodate Mohammed Siraj
Jadeja is set to be dropped from the playing XI
|Team India are reportedly keen to field four seamers on a green top at Trent Bridge on Wednesday, and hence it is believed that it will be Ravindra Jadeja who will make way for an extra seamer. Meanwhile, KL Rahul is expected to be the front-runner to replace Mayank Agarwal up top.
The Indian side, led by Virat Kohli, opted for a two-spinner strategy in the World Test Championship final in Southampton but the move ended up backfiring. While New Zealand, on an Ageas Bowl that was tailor-made for seam bowling, tormented the Indian batsmen with seam and swing, India ended up being a fast bowler short, with all of Bumrah, Shami and Ishant getting over-0bowled in the game. Worse, the second spinner, Jadeja, sent down a total of just 15.2 overs across the two innings.Ā
But despite many claiming that India view Jadeja more as a batsman and less as a second-spinner, it is believed that the left-armer is expected to get the axe for the first Test in Nottingham. Cricbuzz has reported that the Indian side are keen on fielding as many as four pacers on a Trent Bridge wicket they expect to assist fast bowling, and thus have zeroed-in on Jadeja as the player to make way for the extra seamer. Mohammed Siraj, who has had an impressive start to his Test career but did not play in the WTC Final, is expected to be the player to replace Jadeja, who also sat out the initial part of the 2018 series against the Three Lions.Ā
Meanwhile, Cricbuzz has also reported that it is KL Rahul who will take the place of the concussed Mayank Agarwal at the top of the order. Rahul was initially expected to feature in the middle-order, but Agarwalās last-minute injury is believed to have forced the management to use the Karnataka man at the top of the order. Cricbuzz has reported that the management feel that the other opener in the squad, Abhimanyu Easwaran, is not quite ready for international cricket, yet.Ā
