Cues from Birmingham nets: Uncertainty over Bumrah, Arshdeep vs captain Gill, batting coach sweats it out with tailenders
Team India during the net session in Birmingham. (Pic credit: Sahil Malhotra/TimesofIndia.com)
TimesofIndia.com in Birmingham:
The
Indian cricket team
had their first training session in Birmingham on Friday and the side sweated it out for over three hours on a very pleasant morning. The sun was out but wasn't harsh as the steady breeze kept the conditions comfortable for training.
Shubman Gill & Co. reached the venue around 9:15 am local time and all players were in attendance for the first taste of Birmingham conditions.
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Jasprit Bumrah travelled with the side but both him and Prasidh Krishna were absent from the net area. They did travel back with the side in the team bus but didn't make an appearance while the rest of their teammates were doing their share of batting and bowling.
Bumrah and Prasidh didn't leave the stadium premises either.
India Sweat it out at the Nets in Birmingham Ahead of the 2nd Test vs England
Mohammed Siraj's outing was restricted only with the bat only as the seamer worked a lot on the skill with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. There were plenty of drills for leaving, ducking and playing deliveries and he spent close to 30 minutes before leaving the nets and joining his fellow seamers inside.
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All three featured in the Headingley Test and their absence from the bowling run-up could well be because of workload management for the long tour.
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It has now become the most trending keyword in the Indian camp and will be repeated often in the build-up to the second Test as there is no clarity yet on ace pacer Bumrah's participation in the fixture.
It's a call which will be taken by the bowler, in consultation with the medical team, and could well open or shut doors for the few waiting in the wings. Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh had long spells, both with bat and ball, and were closely watched by the support staff led by head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Gill & Agarkar Strategise at the Nets | India's Batting Plan for 2nd Test vs England?
Arshdeep has been spending a lot of time with the bowling coach Morne Morkel in the nets and the duo had worked overtime in Leeds to fine-tune left-arm seamer's run-up, back-foot landing and overall alignment. After almost every delivery, they exchange notes and remain constantly in each other's ears. From Leeds to Birmingham, it has been a similar story for Arshdeep in the nets as he continues to be chatty with Morkel and is always up for a battle with his Punjab teammate Gill in the nets.
Gill turns to his old friend whenever he has to work on something specific and Arshdeep runs in full steam to test the right-hander in the nets. He maintains that intensity even during the long hit and is matched there by fellow seamer Akash Deep. If the Bumrah call is taken soon, one between Arshdeep and Akash will be drafted in the Playing XI as India would be in desperate need of a new ball bowler and the two have the required skill set to both control the shining red cherry, and make it talk.
Still early days and a lot of time before the Test gets underway on July 2 but both seamers are hitting the right notes in the training and could make that decision very hard for the Indian team management. The answers to their will they, won't they lie in the outcome of Bumrah's will he or won't he?
Akash in full flow can trouble the best in the business and Arshdeep could well be the surprise card up India's sleeve at the moment.
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