IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Shubman Gill's Team India debates spin vs batting depth trade-off at Edgbaston
TimesofIndia.com in Birmingham:
An extra spinner in the XI to contain the opposition. Focus on the lower-order for useful contributions. And, finding the right balance between batting depth and picking 20 wickets.
These points largely summed up the theme of Shubman Gill's press conference and India's strategy on the eve of the second Test against England which gets underway at the Edgbaston
Cricket
Ground in Birmingham on July 2.
The conversation around Jasprit Bumrah remained where assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had left it on Monday, but the captain did add that the final call will be taken later that evening - unlike "last minute" as the Dutch coach had said.
While Bumrah's unavailability could force a straight-swap in the fast-bowling lineup, which is likely to continue with Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj, and have Akash Deep as the replacement, but it's the support cast around them which has given a sneak peek into the team management's mindset.
With Gill emphasising on the need for containing the opposition with the second spinner, the scales are heavily tilted in favour of Washington Sundar.
'It is not usual to play two spinners here but we have not had typical weather here and there has not been enough rain. In the last match also, we felt that if we had an extra spinner in the 4th innings, the game could have been better. There were some patches in the wicket that we could have exploited. Whenever Jaddu Bhai was bowling, we felt that chances were being created. We felt that it is easier to contain the runs for spinners than for fast bowlers, especially when the ball is old.
We feel that maybe a second spinner on these kinds of wickets will at least contain a run until the second new ball arrives, where there are more chances," said Gill in the presser.
India's XI Puzzle Ahead of 2nd Test | Jaiswal Shifted, Kuldeep or Bumrah?
Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir need to finalise the two spinners out of the three in the squad. While Ravindra Jadeja looks locked, the big call needs to be taken between specialist
Kuldeep Yadav
and all-rounder Sundar. While batting and lower-order contributions are expected to be crucial factors, another aspect that will be taken into consideration will be the role on Day 1.
Sundar is very comfortable bowling with the hard new ball and even Kuldeep was practicing with the shining Dukes this week.
'They are difficult calls for sure. If you are going with an extra spinner, the only thing that you have to see is how do you manage him on Day 1 if you are bowling on Day 1. And ideally, if at all there is anything on these kinds of wickets, it is on Day 1 in the first session or first couple of sessions. So, taking a call on that and seeing how you manage your second spinner, especially on Day 1 is the main call that you have to take on these kinds of wickets,' explained Gill.
Poll
Who should be the second spinner alongside Ravindra Jadeja?
Kuldeep Yadav
Washington Sundar
Neither, stick with one spinner
The likely template for the second match is an extension of what we have seen in the past where India's obsession with batting depth has left them digging a hole for themselves. The side has lacked the stomach to field specialist bowlers and ever so often, matches have ended with a "what could have been" storyline. They find themselves in a similar position in Birmingham and that crucial call could well point towards the mindset this Test team, under Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir, is likely to have in the near future.
There are good arguments both in favour and against Kuldeep and Sundar but if the coach and captain walk the 20 wickets talk, Kuldeep walks into the XI but if the likely obsession on depth continues, Sundar starts.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Yashasvi Jaiswal gives it back to Ben Stokes after England captain sledges him, argument continues for two balls
Yashasvi Jaiswal is not the one to back away against the opposition's best. It became evident when he sledged Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Further proof came on Day 1 of the second Test against England when Jaiswal got involved in a bit of argy-bargy with Ben Stokes. This time, however, Jaiswal wasn't the one initiating it. It was the England captain who decided to have a few words with the young Indian opener, who simply responded. Ben Stokes and Yashasvin Jaiswal exchange words during India vs England 2nd Test All of it transpired in the 19th over. Stokes, after being slapped in tennis style by Jaiswal for four in the fourth ball, brought his length back slightly in the next ball. It was also closer to the stumps. Jaiswal tapped it with soft hands and set off for a quick single. As he was running past Stokes, the England captain said something. As Stokes was walking back to his mark, Jaiswal said: "You don't wanna hear it from me, come on." Stokes heard this, he turned back and asked: "You don't wanna what?" The exchange of words continued in the next ball. Stokes bowled another back-of-a-length delivery, Karun Nair defended it. Stokes, instead of going towards the ball, took a couple of steps towards Jaiswal and asked: "What were you saying?" IND vs ENG Live Score This time, Yashasvi Jaiswal decided to walk away without escalating the matter. Stokes said something again but when he saw Jaiswal walking towards the other end, he decided to go back. The frustration for England against Jaiswal is understandable. The left-hander hit another fifty to stand tall and take India to 98 for two at Lunch. He has played 7 Tests against England and he has a 50-plus in each one of them. Yashasvi Jaiswal played a composed yet increasingly confident innings, remaining unbeaten on 62 at lunch. He started cautiously on a dry, batter-friendly pitch, especially after the early dismissal of KL Rahul, who chopped onto his stumps for 2. Partnering with Karun Nair, who was promoted to No. 3, Jaiswal gradually opened up, accelerating the scoring as the duo added 80 runs off 90 balls. He showcased his growing authority with a range of attacking strokes, including an inventive overhead volley off Ben Stokes and a stylish overhead cut to bring up his half-century off 58 balls. His knock featured 10 boundaries and reflected both maturity and flair. Though Nair's dismissal just before lunch halted India's momentum, Jaiswal's innings stood out as the backbone of the session, laying a strong platform after a testing first hour against disciplined English bowling.
News18
29 minutes ago
- News18
Shastri Points Out What Shubman Gill Needs: 'He Would Want Someone Like Virat...'
Ravi Shastri has highlighted the contrasting personalities of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, stressing the need for Kohli's aggression in India's Test series against England. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has said that Shubman Gill is absolutely the opposite personality of ace batter Virat Kohli, but the Test skipper would want someone like the latter to fire the team up during their five-match series against England, which hasn't begun on a great note for the visitors. India will need to shed their conservative selection approach and give themselves the best opportunity to take 20 wickets on what is expected to be another batting pitch in the second Test against England. After Kohli retired from Tests in May, there weren't many figures with such aura and intimidating qualities left in the Indian team, and the difference in attitude was visible in the first Test at Headingley, with multiple experts pointing it out. 'North pole, south pole. Exactly. But he'll want someone like Virat in the team to, you know, when the players are on the field, get the bowlers g'd up, get the fielders g'd up, have a crack at the batters," Shastri said while speaking on Sky Sports, when asked how different Gill and Kohli were as personalities. 'He'll want someone like Virat" 🗣️Ravi Shastri discusses the difference in personality between Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli 🇮🇳 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 2, 2025 'You know you need a couple of blokes like that. I know Rishabh Pant will make a lot of noise at the back, but another couple of blokes, if they can be groomed. Yes. Very good," Shastri added with a grin. The question mark ahead of the match was over ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah's availability. Gill said on Wednesday that a decision on the former will be taken just after taking a look at the track. At the toss on Thursday, Gill declared that Bumrah had been rested for the match. Shastri expressed disbelief at India's decision to rest Bumrah from the second Test against England, asserting that he shouldn't have been given the option to sit out of an important match. India, enduring a rough patch in Tests since October 2024, have managed just one victory in their last nine games, marking their worst run in more than 10 years. First Published: July 02, 2025, 18:47 IST
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: Baffling! Ex-Australia all-rounder calls out India's gamble of going with 5 specialist batters
India's Yashasvi Jaiswal, right, celebrates after scoring fifty runs on day one of the second cricket test match between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody has slammed India's team selection for the second Test against England. India revealed its lineup after England won the toss and surprised many by resting its best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, and not picking wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who was missed in the series-opening loss in Leeds last week. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Sai Sudharsan, who made his Test debut in Leeds, and Shardul Thakur were dropped, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar were picked in an attempt to balance batting depth with a side capable of taking 20 wickets. India became the first side to lose a Test after hitting five centuries. Bumrah was replaced by Akash Deep. 'India's selection for this Test is baffling,' Moody wrote on X. 'No Bumrah is one thing, but to only have five specialist batsmen is a gamble. 'The fixation on all-rounders who are there to offer depth with bat and ball has never worked. Specialists are always going to offer more over a Test.' Former head coach and cricketer Ravi Shastri didn't mince his words while expressing his discontent with India's decision to rest the world number one speedster Jasprit Bumrah. 'You have the best fast bowler in the world, and you make him sit out after seven days' rest. It's something very hard to believe, and I can't agree with it,' Shastri said on Sky Sports. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Late selection meeting between Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill and Ajit Agarkar near pitch? At the stroke of lunch, India lost Karun Nair (31) and KL Rahul (2), while Yashasvi Jaiswal continued to dazzle, swashbuckling his way to an unbeaten 62 (69) to propel the touring party to 98/2. Shastri reflected on India's exploits in the first session and delivered unstinting praise for Jaiswal. 'I think they will be pretty happy but disappointed with the timing of Nair's dismissal, shortly before lunch. That's when you need to be concentrating hard—but there was very little Nair could do as the ball bounced from a length,' Shastri said. 'Jaiswal batted beautifully—the mix of caution and aggression. He played to his off-side strengths and put anything loose away,' he added. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
