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It may seem like Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav were rewarded for their performances against Sri Lanka in the ODIs with a call-up to England to join the India side. But it is unlikely they will get a game in the five-match Test series starting August 4.
Reports suggest the duo were reinforcements for the injured Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan and Washington Sundar. And for those hoping to see either of the two batsmen walk out to the middle, it would be a tad disappointing.
More importantly, the question is who would they replace in the India setup. For now, the possible options are Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul, both of whom are tipped to make a comeback into the fold after a hiatus.
We made an attempt to answer the most-asked questions after news of the duo leaving for England soon after the completion of the T20I leg of the series.
Why is Prithvi Shaw in England?
The question is for when he reaches there. As stated, he's in the side to potentially be on standby to fill the contingent, and perhaps even play if injuries continue to hamper India.
Will Shaw play at some point for India in the Tests?
The answer is unlikely, and the only possibility is if Agarwal or Rohit Sharma injure themselves. The latter has had a rapid ascendancy in Tests and is one of the players to have sealed his position.
The jostle will be between the Karnatala player and Shaw. The Mumbai batsman last donned his whites for India in December 2020, and had a horrendous outing with scores of 0 and 4 against Australia in the first Test in Adelaide.
Does he deserve a chance?
It would be unfair to say no. Shaw in recent times has been reminiscent of the Shaw the country saw when he burst on to the scene with some sublime footwork, impeccable timing and an array of shots in his artillery.
Shaw is coming off a rich domestic season, piling up 827 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and following it up with 308 runs from eight games for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
The two tournaments rejuvenated his India career and he made the most of it with some scintillating starts of 43, 13 and 49.
Barring a glitch in the second ODI and a golden duck in the first T20I, Prithvi Shaw has done enough to be on that plane to England. However, hard quarantine effectively rules him and Suryakumar Yadav out of the first Test.
If he does indeed get a go, he will have to carry the same form to the English conditions and hope for a shot.
What does the India call-up mean for Suryakumar Yadav?
The wait has been worth it. He may be there to fill the roster, but he is part of it now, and there is no doubt he will be there for a while considering his recent outings with the bat. For Suryakumar Yadav, this is a bit late, but a much-needed push to cement his spot in the Test side as well considering the recent state of events.
Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara's careers are in tenterhooks at the moment. KL Rahul is waiting in the wings (that his Red Bull surely would have given and waited long enough to take flight too) and should either of these senior players falter, Yadav has a chance to make a quick impact.
Does Suryakumar Yadav deserve to be on that plane?
He does, absolutely. The run streak has been solid and it's more than that. Suryakumar Yadav's India outings so far have seen a blend of maturity, risk-free cricket and the ability to toggle between anchor and aggression.
These are the very traits needed to succeed in Test cricket and Yadav has demonstrated he's got them all. Like Shaw, it is very unlikely he will get a shot, but if India decide to go for Yadav over Rahul (which is an argument that can be tabled for later), then it's an opportunity he will look to cash in on.
Did India need reinforcements in the first place?
With three players out due to injury in what will be a grueling tour, India will need their best players to take the field and be ready to pad up when need be. Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw seem to be the right choices now. Bhuvneshwar Kumar would have been one of the preferred seamers as well, but India's pace battery has options and that would mean beefing up the middle order.
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What are your thoughts on the duo heading to England?
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