The defeat in the 3rd Test at Southampton evoked memories of 2011 when Team India were whitewashed 4-0 and most of the batsmen as well as the bowlers failed to put up a fight.
The defeat in the 3rd Test at Southampton evoked memories of 2011 when Team India were whitewashed 4-0 and most of the batsmen as well as the bowlers failed to put up a fight.
With that said, the James Anderson-Ravindra Jadeja controversy hovering around, the visitors go into the fourth Test facing a selection headache on whether to leave out a couple of out-of-form players or still give them time.
There are talks of including the likes of Ravi Ashwin and Gautam Gambhir instead of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma in the side. Though the series is tied 1-1, India’s poor on-field performance might be a bitter pill to swallow as the team looks in a vulnerable state. But the last time India faced a problem off the field, was during the 2008 Australia series that involved Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds in the famous ‘monkeygate’ scandal. The current Indian skipper might want to draw inspiration from the then-captain Anil Kumble, who had led from the front Down Under.
In the current scenario, MS Dhoni has put his weight behind the all-rounder from Rajkot and now needs to get it right inside the boundary ropes, with the series on the line. With the series crucially balanced, the Indian management needs a rework on their strategy. Mumbai-born Rohit Sharma has failed to live to the expectations and might be axed for the Old Trafford Test.
If India is to include an extra spinner, then Ravichandran Ashwin might just get the nod. Moreover, the Chennai star has also two Test tons to his name and makes a viable batting option lower down the order. Ashwin has had a good pair of hands and was deployed in first slip for India until he was dropped mid-way through the Test series in South Africa.
Plus, there are two other positions that will be a cause for concern for Dhoni and co. as Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, who have been India’s bet for the future but have come unstuck. Kohli has had a dismal series so far with an average of 16.83 in three Tests so far. Pujara averages slightly better in comparison, 31.66 so far on account of his one fifty at Nottingham, but that is poor by his standards.
Meanwhile, the mood in the England camp seems positive after their win at Southampton which ended a nightmare run of 10 winless streaks. It seems skipper Alastair Cook and Ian Bell have found their ‘mojo’ back as the duo are back amongst the runs. Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Moeen Ali have clicked form at the right time as England prepares to wipe away the visitors.
All the focus will be on James Anderson who will take the field against India. The bowler will be out for revenge as far as the wickets column is concerned.
