Arshdeep Singh, tailenders' batting in focus at India's practice session in Birmingham: Report

India Today

4 hours ago

Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh had a long practice session in India's first training session in Birmingham, reported Times of India on Friday, June 27. The left-arm fast bowler, who is yet to make his Test debut, worked closely with bowling coach Morne Morkel.In case Jasprit Bumrah does not play the second Test match at Edgbaston, Arshdeep could be in the running to make his Test debut. The fast bowler is well established in the white-ball format with the Indian team and would love to get a chance with the red ball, in conditions where he has played County Cricket before.advertisementAccording to the report, star fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna did not train with the side, despite being at the stadium premises. Bumrah has already mentioned that he would play 3 Test matches and would take a call on more if his body responds better to the workload. The fast bowler captained India at Edgbaston back in 2022, a Test match where Ben Stokes' England chased down 378 runs to script an incredible win.
The second Test of the 5-match series begins on July 2. India are already 0-1 down in the series after the hosts chased down 371 runs in little more than a day at Headingley, Leeds. Ben Duckett was instrumental in neutralising Jasprit Bumrah in the final innings of the Test match. Bumrah went wicketless in the final innings as India failed to defend a big total.INDIA'S FRONTLINE PACERS WITHOUT BUMRAHadvertisementIn case Bumrah does not play the 2nd Test, this is how India's potential pace attack might look like.Mohammed Siraj - 37 TestsAkash Deep - 7 TestsPrasidh Krishna - 4 TestsArshdeep Singh - Yet to debutIt is expected that the Indian team will make changes to their combination. India might play two spinners in the 2nd Test match in case the hosts once again offer a dry and flat pitch like Headingley.Apart from Arshdeep's training, focus was also put on Mohammed Siraj's batting, as Sitanshu Kotak spent an extended amount of time fixing the technique of the fast bowler. The tail of the Indian team collapsed in both innings of the 1st Test match, hurting India's prospects of scoring big totals in the game. England captain Ben Stokes later spoke about this in the post match press conference, stating that bundling out the Indian tail early turned out to be a crucial moment in the Test match.India will expect more help from the last 5 batters in the Test match as the pitch is expected to be flatter in Edgbaston.- EndsMust Watch