3 Indian batters who must come good in the 2nd innings of the Birmingham Test

Team India are firmly in control of the fifth Test against England in Birmingham, having dominated for a majority of the first two days. Sent into bat after losing the toss, the visitors put up an impressive 416 in their first innings. Keeper-batter Rishabh Pant starred with a swashbuckling 146 off only 111 balls, while Ravindra Jadeja also scored a patient century (104 off 194).

To add to England’s woes, Indian interim captain Jasprit Bumrah came in and clobbered an unbeaten 36 off 11 balls, including a record 29 runs in an over from pacer Stuart Broad. Bumrah’s scintillating cameo lifted India past the 400-run mark.

He then also played a stellar role with the ball, dismissing the top three in the England batting. Mohammed Siraj dismissed Joe Root (31) while Mohammad Shami sent back nightwatchman Jack Leach (0) to leave the hosts reeling 84 for five at stumps on Day 2.

Although India are in a commanding position at Edgbaston, they do have certain issues to sort out in the batting department. Remember, they were 98 for five before the Pant-Jadeja partnership put them on top.

In the wake of the same, we look at three Indian batters who will be desperate to come good in the second innings in Birmingham.

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#1 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is bowled by Matthew Potts during day one of the 5th Test. Pic: Getty Images

Virat Kohli’s wretched run with the bat continued in the first innings as he was bowled for 11. It was a bizarre dismissal as the 33-year-old attempted to back out of a Matthew Potts delivery, which pitched outside the off stump. He made the decision very late though and ended up guiding the ball onto the stumps via the bat.

Kohli’s dismissal in the first innings was symptomatic of the lack of confidence that has seeped into his batting of late. This has become a trend of sorts for Kohli over the last few months, during which he has been on an expedition of sorts, discovering new ways of getting out. Even in the IPL earlier this year, he registered three golden ducks and the manner of his dismissals clearly pointed out that he was a man totally out of place.

The struggling Indian batter has got a few starts in matches across formats over the last year or so. He even played a couple of impressive knocks in an otherwise disastrous IPL campaign. But such efforts have been very few and far in between. What Kohli needs is a defining innings with which he can stamp authority on the bowlers all over again.

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#2 Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara defends a ball during day one. Pic: Getty Images

Following a superb county season for Sussex, Cheteshwar Pujara was recalled to the Indian Test team for the ongoing match in Birmingham. The 34-year-old amassed 720 runs in five matches during his county stint at an average of 120. He notched up four hundreds, with two of them being double centuries. However, the way he batted in the first innings of the Birmingham Test was pretty much an action replay of his knocks before he was dropped from the team.

He held one end and tried to see off the new ball with the England bowlers on top. However, as he has done so often over the last two seasons, he perished after spending a decent amount of time at the crease without scoring too many runs. To be exact, he was dismissed for 13 off 46 balls in the 18th over of India’s innings.

To be fair to Pujara, he got an excellent delivery from James Anderson, which was difficult to keep out. However, as has often been pointed out in the recent past, the Indian batter has allowed bowlers to dominate him. His performance in the first innings was a continuation of that tradition.

With Hanuma Vihari expected to get a longer run at the No. 3 position, Pujara will have to perform in the second innings to stay on the selectors’ radar.

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#3 Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill has failed to convert his starts. Pic: Getty Images

Young Shubman Gill is an enormously talented batter. His 91 at The Gabba last year in the historic triumph over Australia was a knock of the highest quality. However, he hasn’t lived up to his reputation since that brilliant innings. Gill has mostly looked in great touch in the middle, even getting some starts. However, he has failed to convert most of them into substantial knocks.

With both Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul battling injuries of late, Gill has had a few chances to try and push for a place in the playing XI. However, he has failed to grab them. The right-handed batter looked good during his brief stay at the crease on Day 1 in Birmingham before needlessly poking at a delivery outside the off stump.

In the previous Test series he featured in, against New Zealand at home last year, he registered scores of 52, one, 44 and 47.

Playing in his 11th Test, Gill averages a disappointing 31.94. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri too expressed disappointment at the manner of Gill’s dismissal in the first innings. According to Shastri, there was no intent in the stroke that led to his dismissal - it was a tentative poke. Sharing some advice for the Indian youngster, he had said, “Stay at the crease, you will get runs.”

It remains to be seen if Gill can follow the suggestion and come up with a significant performance in India’s second innings in Birmingham.

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