India vs England 2016: India's predicted XI for the third Test

The Indian Test team’s juggernaut, which was halted in Rajkot by England, resumed in Vizag as they registered a comprehensive win over the visitors. India displayed all-round professionalism on the field, where they rode on Virat Kohli’s batting, and Ravichandran Ashwin’s eight wickets in the match.

Another player, who impressed everyone in Vizag, was the debutant from Haryana, Jayant Yadav. Not only did Yadav bowl tightly throughout the match, also taking four wickets in the process, but he also displayed a lot of character with the bat, coming lower down the order.

The pitch in Vizag assisted the spinners, and hence India went with three spinners, and two fast bowlers. The Mohali pitch, which has historically suited the quick bowlers, has over the years slowed down and should spin day two onwards. Last year, India played a low scoring Test against South Africa in Mohali on a wicket that turned out to be a rank-turner. The pitch for tomorrow's match will, once again, not possess much grass, and the toss should play a crucial role. The team batting first would look to bat first, and put runs on the board.

Given the pitch conditions, current form of players, and injury to Wriddhiman Saha, this is what India’s playing eleven in Mohali should look like:

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#1 Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay had a rather subdued outing in Vizag, where he scored 20 and 3 respectively in the two innings. The Vizag failure was a one off thing for Vijay, and he has been in fine form recently. Infact, Vijay was on song in Rajkot, where he scored a superb hundred in the first innings. He is one player who has been consistently scoring runs at the top of the order for India. The flamboyant opener likes the ball getting on to the bat, and should enjoy playing in Mohali, where the surface is true and hard.Vijay has the remarkable ability to adjust his game to different situations – since both attack and defence come naturally to him.

#2 KL Rahul

“Rahul is our number one opener along with Murali Vijay”. Virat Kohli didn’t mince his words when discussing the opening combination before the second Test. Although Rahul failed in both the innings in Vizag – scoring 0 and 10 – he is fine prospect for team India, with the ability to score big hundreds quickly.

Given the fact the Virender Sehwag revolutionalized the way a Test opener approached batting, Rahul comes from the same school of thought, and it might not be a surprise if Rahul scores a quick-fire hundred on day one if India bat first.

#3 Cheteshwar Pujara

The ever-reliable Cheteshwar Pujara is well on his way to fill the boots of Rahul Dravid. With a strong technique, that is adept at playing both pace and spin, Pujara can make the opposition toil for long hours under the sun and score big hundreds. With him providing solidity at one end, it also allows skipper Virat Kohli to stay aggressive from the other end.

Pujara has been in tremendous form in this series, scoring hundreds in both the Tests, and helping India to a dominating position along with skipper Virat Kohli. In Mohali, Pujara would be looking to add another ton to his kitty, and take his century count to three in the series.

#4 Virat Kohli

Even though Pujara has scored two tons in this series, the mainstay of India’s batting in the two Test has been skipper Virat Kohli. Kohli scored a dogged 167 in the first innings at Vizag and followed it up with a crucial 81 in the second innings when other Indian batsmen failed. The best part about Kohli’s batting is that he never looks uneasy, even when the wicket is not the best to bat on. Come the Mohali Test, Kohli would look to grow his legend at a modern day great batsman. Kohli should also enjoy batting on Mohali due to the true nature of the wicket as well as the quick outfield.

#5 Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane is the only Indian batsman who has failed to get going in the two Tests played so far. On a flat deck at Rajkot, Rahane was unable to counter the spin of Moeen Ali and Zafar Ansari. In Vizag, he was outdone by pace in both the innings. But Rahane is one player who keenly assesses his batting post the match, and in fact, was seen spending hours in nets alongside batting coach Sanjay Bangar after the Vizag Test.He would look to redeem himself when he comes out to bat at number 5 for India in Mohali.

#6 Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin has silently become one of India’s most consistent performer with both bat and ball. In Vizag, he scored a vital fifty in the first innings, and provided support to Virat Kohli. With the ball, Ashwin grabbed eight wickets - including a five-for in the first innings - and helped India register a comfortable win.

Given Ashwin's all-round performances in the two Tests, he is well on his way to another man of the series award.

#7 Parthiv Patel

Just three days before the start of the Mohali Test, regular wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha sprained his thigh, which meant that Parthiv Patel was recalled in the Test squad after a gap of eight years. Given KL Rahul would not want to keep wickets in Tests, Parthiv is all set to feature in India’s playing eleven.

Parthiv would be looking to go out and enjoy being in the India jersey once again. Given Saha is India’s number one keeper, he would in all certainty replace Parthiv once he attains full fitness.

#8 Ravindra Jadeja

Although Ravindra Jadeja has two triple hundreds in domestic cricket, he has off late been considered a bowler first, and then a batsman. In the second innings at Vizag, Jadeja provided the crucial breakthroughs of Alastair Cook and Moeen Ali, and opened the doors of India’s victory. Given the Mohali pitch is expected to turn from day one, Virat Kohli would be looking for Jadeja to take more responsibility as bowlers, and also try and reduce the burden of taking wickets from Ravichandran Ashwin.

Haryana’s Jayant Yadav impressed everyone in his debut game at Vizag, including former India captain Sourav Ganguly. Yadav displayed brilliant temperament with the bat in both the innings, also making a case for himself to be promoted up the order ahead of Ravindra Jadeja in Mohali. With Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja doing the bulk of the bowling in Vizag, Yadav looked under bowled by Virat Kohli to an outside viewer. But even in the short bursts in which Yadav bowled, he managed to trouble the England batsmen.

#10 Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami was the unsung hero of India in Vizag. Not only did he outsmart two of England’s best batsmen – Alastair Cook and Joe Root – but the manner with which he got those two wickets impressed one and all. The most heartening thing about Shami is that even though it’s the spinners who are expected to take the bulk of the wickets, Shami tries to bowl aggressively and looks to take wickets. The Mohali pitch should provide assistance to Shami early on, and India’s pace spearhead would be looking to make utmost use of the helpful conditions.

#11 Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav’s form has been rather dubious in this series. He has looked rather ineffective with the ball, and has mostly stayed under the shadow of Mohammed Shami. Having said that, his ability to generate sharp bounce could be effective in the conditions in Mohali.

With Ishant Sharma lacking match practice, Umesh could very well get a go ahead in the eleven for the Mohali Test.