England entered into Rajkot on the back of a demoralising loss against Bangladesh in the second Test at Dhaka. However, they managed to dispel the air of pessimism surrounding their fortunes by giving a good account of themselves on what was quite a docile pitch at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
They batted confidently and consequently allowed their spinners to cause a few anxious moments in the Indian camp. Even though the hosts clung on to a rather hard-fought draw, England’s performance has indicated that the 5-match series could be more competitive than previously anticipated.
With the focus now on the second Test at Vizag, let us take at five keys for India to defeat Alastair Cook’s side and take a handy 1-0 lead.
#5 – Hope for a spin-friendly surface
One glance at the first Test scorecard should be enough to validate England’s strong batting depth. Long gone are the days when they played with a long tail and lost wickets in a heap. Although Rajkot showed more graciousness than required by rolling out a harmless surface, the visitors demonstrated their adeptness in building formidable totals.
Also Read: Vizag pitch will not have grass and will turn from day 2, says pitch curator
As a consequence, the Indians would want a turning track at Vizag to subject their opposition lineup to the difficulty of playing under such conditions. Despite doubts of a spin-friendly pitch narrowing the gap between the two teams, skipper Virat Kohli will feel more secure in having accomplished spinners on his side. If the fifth ODI against New Zealand was anything to go by, we might be in for some entertainment.
#4 – Rethink their team combination
Realising that the Rajkot surface demanded at least five specialist bowling options, India brought Amit Mishra into the equation to partner the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department. Having lost the toss and watched their opposition pile on the runs, the Indian batsmen overcame significant scoreboard pressure in the first innings.
If Vizag produces a turning track, the team management should consider the possibility of leaving out Umesh Yadav and handing a debut to Hardik Pandya who can take the new ball aside from contributing quick runs lower down the order. With KL Rahul announcing his fitness level in the nearby city of Vizianagaram, the squad could even be expanded and the elegant right-hander replacing Gautam Gambhir in the playing eleven does not seem pre-mature at all.
#3 – Dislodge Cook’s opening partner early
Since Andrew Strauss bid adieu to the game after the 2012 Lord’s Test against South Africa, England have been struggling to find a viable partner for Cook. It was no coincidence that they chose to debut a 19-year old opener at Rajkot. Haseeb Hameed, in turn, defied the hesitation usually accompanying an introduction to Tests to make quite an impression in the land of his family’s origin.
Even though Yadav produced a straightforward opportunity in the sixth over of the Test, Murali Vijay put down a sitter at first slip. Considering the fact that England bat deep, Hameed’s wicket gains further significance so as to prevent another solid platform at the top of the order. An early breakthrough should keep Cook on his toes whilst also exposing the middle-order a lot sooner.
#2 – Middle-order needs to step up
From 319 for the loss of just four wickets (one of those was night watchman Mishra), India could have eked out a noteworthy lead in the first innings. However, skipper Kohli stepped on to his own stumps while Ajinkya Rahane got himself out with an inexplicable shot. Eventually, Ashwin had to bail them out of trouble yet again alongside Wriddhiman Saha.
Though Kohli led from the front by holding the fort on the final day, Rahane's indifferent match continued. With the top-order giving them a solid base and the lower-order adding teeth to their lineup, the onus is on numbers four and five to take up the responsibility.
#1 – Ashwin has to get into his groove
After Ashwin had bowled as many as 46 overs in the first innings and picked up only two wickets for 167 runs, former skipper Sourav Ganguly pondered if India are too dependent on the Tamil Nadu off-spinner. The records seem to back his claim – he was the ‘Player of the Series’ in each of India’s four successive series victories prior to this one.
Admittedly, the surface at Rajkot did not have too much going for him. But, the constantly evolving Ashwin will be disappointed at bowling much below his potential in both the innings. His typical drift and loop which could entice even the most resolute of batsmen went missing. As a result, England were able to negotiate him without having to come forward. If Vizag offers even a semblance of turn, he might not give them the same respite during the second Test.
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