India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane did not reveal the probable game combination but gave a hint that Shardul Thakur’s impressive lower-order batting was used during the five-Test series against England starting on August 4. can go.
Asked which of the bowlers are the best bets and who can fill in for Hardik Pandya’s absence, Rahane named fellow Mumbaikar Thakur, who recently scored a half-century and played against Australia in his second Test in Brisbane. Took 7 wickets.
“Everyone is different. What Hardik did in 2018 was different for us. Shardul can bat. You have seen Shardul bat in Australia and he has done well in domestic cricket as well.”
“(Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Shami, (Mohammed) Siraj, Umesh (Yadav) and Ishant (Sharma) are trying in the nets. In the end, whatever 20-30 runs we score, it matters a lot.
“It is good that they want to bat for at least 10-12 minutes in the nets. See result comes later and what is important is process and work hard and contribute as a team member. We are looking forward to some contribution from our last players.”
The batsman must get his way back
Without naming Cheteshwar Pujara, Rahane was questioned on “intent”, a term that has come up time and again because of the Saurashtra batsman’s defensive batting.
Rahane, however, clarified that as long as the communication with the team management is clear, the approach is “for each its own”.
“Obviously, we sat together and discussed our batting plans but in England, it is a challenging situation for a batsman. Everyone has different plans and everyone needs to back their ways,” Rahane, whose own form has been questioned several times, said.
“Communication is important for the batting unit, but personally I feel everyone should back their own way because sometimes conditions change quickly here in 15-20 minutes. It’s all about getting used to the circumstances quickly. As a batting unit, we are ready.”
He also dismissed suggestions about whether Pujara could be encouraged to bat instead of his usual No. 3 position.
“Pujara is our number 3 batsman. Who will open the innings, we are still finalizing our combination. Pujara is very strong for us at number three and as far as the opening pair is concerned, the captain, coach and management will decide.”
England expected to give us a green top
Rahane said his team is fully aware that England can bring in a green top surface for the Indian players, who need to deal with conditions suited to the fast bowlers.
He said, ‘We expect England to give us these kind of wickets and its home conditions and we will not think too much about it.
“It is really important to win every moment in Test cricket. We are not really worried about the kind of wickets we are given.”
Indian team respected Ben Stokes’ decision
The Indian vice-captain admitted that bubble fatigue is a reality and that his team fully respects opposition star Ben Stokes’ decision to take a break from the game and work on his “mental health”.
“Bubble (life) is really challenging. You also have to understand the mindset of a player. When you play at the highest level you always have to give your 100 percent and your mental health matters a lot.
“We (Indian team) respect his decision and I am sure his England teammates also respect his decision. It’s about understanding the mindset of the players about what they are going through. It is tough and challenging to be in a bubble and perform consistently,” Rahane said.
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