Zaheer Khan, ex-Indian speedster, has his fingers crossed for the third Test’s Rajkot track. He wants it to mirror the first two games’ surfaces against England.
The Hyderabad opener was a nail-biter. It was an evenly matched contest of bat versus ball. In the end, England clinched a 28-run victory. The Indian squad retaliated with a 106-run triumph on another active pitch at Vizag. This put the series back on even terms.
Speaking to Jio Cinema ahead of the crucial third Test, Zaheer Khan expressed hope that Rajkot will deliver a pitch similar to Hyderabad and Vizag.
“I hope the pitch is on similar lines to the one in Hyderabad and Vizag. On that kind of a surface, we should be able to see a good contest between bat and ball for the first two days and spin comes into play on the third day. You’ll see some reverse swing as well. And on the fourth and fifth days, you’ll have the spinners dominating. If that is the pattern, it will make for a nice viewing experience for all the spectators and the fans will enjoy.”
Zaheer Khan
Ex-England hitter Owais Shah agreed with Zaheer. He thinks the clash between Jasprit Bumrah and England’s middle lineup could decide everything.
“The big match-up will be between Jasprit Bumrah and England’s middle-order. That’s because Bumrah will be able to generate reverse swing in Rajkot. When he bowls with the old ball, it becomes difficult for the England batters. That’s because he’s getting wickets and not giving away runs.”
Owais Shah
In the two Tests so far, Jasprit Bumrah has made the old ball talk with his ability to reverse-swing the cherry in both directions.
The player, who is 30, leads the series. His victory count is 15 and his stunning average is less than 11.
With Rajkot potentially favoring reverse-swing, England has included a second seamer in Mark Wood instead of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir for the third Test.
“That’s another headache once you have picked the squad” – Zaheer Khan on Indian XI for the 3rd Test
Zaheer Khan believes that the addition of Ravindra Jadeja brings a new challenge to establish the bowling lineup for the third Test.
Jadeja, recovering from a hamstring pull that kept him from the second Test, will join the team in Rajkot given his complete recovery. This forces India to consider sitting out one player from Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, or Mohammed Siraj.
“That’s another headache once you have picked the squad! Whether it’s going to be Axar (Patel), whether it’s going to be Kuldeep (Yadav) or you are going to pick all of them. This is something India will be thinking about, whether you need that extra bowler along with Jasprit (Bumrah). It will also depend on how the pitch is going to play, so some complex decision-making will be involved.”
Zaheer Khan
Kuldeep Yadav replaced Jadeja in the second Test and finished with four wickets, making him India’s top spinner.
However, Axar has provided enormous value with his all-around ability, making it difficult to dismiss him. As a result, India is more likely to play all four spinners with Bumrah as the lone pacer.
