Remain Bumrah, Siraj or remain unchanged in Delhi?

The appointment of Shubman Gill as India’s next ODI skipper has made more headlines than the ongoing West Indies tour of India. The long-term future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli has been discussed so much that the actual discussions about the India vs West Indies Test series have taken a back seat. But when the second Test begins in New Delhi, that will not be the case.

A resounding innings victory in the first match set the tone for the series, and discussions should now be less about combinations and more about workload. With another busy schedule ahead, including a quick turnaround in the ODI series against Australia, the team management may have to make some calls, especially in the fast bowling department.

Jasprit Bumrah’s workload conundrum

Jasprit Bumrah played the first Test just three days after the Asia Cup final, a decision that surprised many, even though he bowled smoothly and looked in rhythm. But Delhi could be a different challenge. The Arun Jaitley Stadium offers a black ground surface, which generally takes turns early and does not require long periods of pacing.

Given that the first Test was over in three days and Bumrah now has a decent window of rest, India might be tempted to play him again. He has also been rested for the upcoming ODIs against Australia, giving him a longer recovery period after this Test. That said, it will ultimately come down to how Bumrah’s body feels, as managing his workload has been and will continue to be a delicate balancing act. Otherwise, Bumrah could be rested and Prasidh Krishna could play his first Test in India.

Siraj’s case for a break

If India are looking to rotate someone, Mohammed Siraj could be the one to opt out. He was included in the ODI squad for the Australia series starting just days after the Delhi Test, and giving him a break now might make sense. Prasidh Krishna, who is in the squad and playing for a similar duration, could be the equal parts replacement. With the pitch expected to facilitate spin more than pace, India would not lose much balance by making this one change.

Yes, Siraj would be preparing to play the Delhi Test, but without Bumrah for the India vs Australia ODIs, Siraj should be fresh enough to play the three one-day internationals in Australia.

India predict to play XI for 2nd Test against WI

No room for Devdutht Padikkal…yet

Despite the chatter around Devdutt Padikkal’s red-ball promise, there are simply no vacancies in this current XI. The batting order seems settled with Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy both needing more time to consolidate their places. Unless India experiments massively, Padikkal will have to wait his turn, possibly in a future series and if Sudharsan fails to do something meaningful.