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India may not be able to win the two-match series against South Africa anymore, but the added context of the World Test Championship means that there will be a lot at stake when the second Test commences in Cape Town on January 3.
With a draw and a loss in the two-year ICC cycle already, Rohit Sharma and Co. need to pull their socks up if they are to reach the final for the third edition running. Yet to secure the trophy in two attempts, they will be keen on going all the way this time.
India might thus have to be proactive in the second Test. Making hasty changes is never advisable, especially in the red-ball format, but the visitors currently have a new-look lineup that needs tweaks before it can become potent.
India’s squad for the 2nd Test vs South Africa: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Abhimanyu Easwaran, KS Bharat (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan.
Here are three changes India should make for the second Test against South Africa.
#3 Mukesh Kumar for Shardul Thakur
Shardul Thakur is in the team for the batting value he adds at No. 8 more than his bowling, which has proven expensive on several occasions. Over his last five Tests, he has picked up just seven wickets, and his economy rate has been the biggest concern.
In the opening Test, Thakur scored a valuable 24 in the first innings but leaked 101 runs in 19 overs at an economy rate of 5.32 to completely negate the positive impact he had with the bat. That has been the case for quite a while now, barring the odd standout display with the ball, such as his seven-fer against the Proteas a couple of years ago.
India could thus have to prioritize their bowling department and play a frontline fast bowler who can offer control. Avesh Khan, who has been added to the squad for the second Test, is an option. But with Prasidh Krishna already being an unknown factor, the think tank should ensure that the bowler they pick guarantees consistency.
That's what Mukesh Kumar brings to the table. The 30-year-old's first-class economy rate is 2.69, and he averages 21.62 over the course of 40 matches. He is highly unlikely to leak runs and could perform the holding role to perfection.
#2 Abhimanyu Easwaran for Shreyas Iyer
In 11 Tests, Shreyas Iyer has a decent average of 41.35. However, away from home in seamer-friendly conditions, his displays have been far from convincing. In two matches, he has managed only 71 runs at an average of 17.75.
The sample size is too small to draw conclusions based on that alone, but Shreyas, quite simply, hasn't passed the eye test. He is clearly uncomfortable against hard lengths and hasn't been able to counter lateral movement effectively.
Abhimanyu Easwaran has been in and around the Test team for a while now. While he hasn't been able to convert starts into big scores often enough, there are fewer doubts regarding his technical ability and defensive strokeplay.
Easwaran could replace Shreyas in the XI and bat at No. 3, with Shubman Gill moving down to No. 5, where he will definitely be more comfortable. India might want to give Shreyas more chances before pulling the plug, but the series is on the line, and the batter hasn't inspired enough confidence.
#1 Ravindra Jadeja for Ravichandran Ashwin
This is a straightforward change. Ravindra Jadeja would have played ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin had he been fit for the first Test, owing to his much superior batting ability away from home.
Reports have suggested that Jadeja has recovered from the back spasms that kept him out and will take to the field in Cape Town. The southpaw will slot into the middle order and could even bat ahead of KL Rahul, who has wicket-keeping duties to handle.
India will hope that Jadeja's introduction brings about a change in fortunes.
