Ravindra Jadeja is the preferred choice, with the Men in Blue forced to field Ravichandran Ashwin in the first Test.
Team India has an uphill battle to prevent yet another series defeat in South Africa when the second and final Test begins on Wednesday in Newlands, Cape Town.
The Men in Blue were trounced in the series opener and will need to improve across the board if they are to win their first Test at the venue.
While India’s batting was far from ideal in the first Test, the focus was on their bowling performance.
Following a par score in the first innings, the Indian bowling assault enabled the Proteas to accumulate a large 163-run advantage, thereby putting the game out of reach for the visitors.
The rookie Prasidh Krishna and all-rounder Shardul Thakur‘s performances were criticized, while Mohammed Shami’s skills were greatly missed.
In preparation for the second Test, Team India has appointed Avesh Khan to the team, and Mukesh Kumar is also eligible for selection.
In international circumstances, notably in SENA, India’s bowling combination has generally consisted of four pacers and a spinner.
The former was ruled out because of a neck spasm, but his potential availability for the second Test makes the team combination quite fascinating.
No 1 – A combination of local and continental nature pitches
The circumstances in Cape Town are opposed to those in Centurion for the Boxing Day Test.
The Super Sport Park had cloudy conditions and a dynamic surface, resulting in a three-day contest.
There was also continual dampness on the surface, which was undercover because of the incessant rain that fell throughout the buildup to the match.
The weather prognosis for the Newlands Test, on the other hand, is pretty promising, with temperatures reaching 34 degrees Celsius on all five days of the match.
Early images of the pitch reveal fissures in the surface as well as spots of dry grass in general.
There is little question that the surface will provide some bounce and movement for the pacers, as other venues in South Africa do, especially with the new ball.
Spinners, on the other hand, are likely to come into action as the innings unfolds. The persistent heat is certain to expose vulnerabilities that may be exploited by tweakers
With India arguably possessing two of the greatest red-ball spinners, they couldn’t ask for better playing conditions.
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No 2 – Shardul Thakur has recently proven ineffective in his duties
The selection of both Ashwin and Jadeja would have been difficult to justify if Shardul Thakur had been a big contributor to the team.
However, with the pace-bowling all-rounder unable to make an impression in recent years, the case for two spinners becomes almost a no-brainer, especially when considering the aspect of circumstances.
Thakur had a quiet tour to South Africa in 2021-22 but for a spectacular stint with Wanderers.
He only scored 59 runs in six innings as India blew a 1-0 advantage and lost the series.
No 3 – In Tests, Ravindra Jadeja has mostly been a batting all-rounder and cannot carry the spin department alone
Ravindra Jadeja has been one of Team India’s top red-ball batsmen in recent years, but his improved batting performance has taken a toll on his bowling output as well.
While he remains effective on subcontinent wickets, where the conditions are ideal for him, he has not made an impact with the ball away from home.
As a result, Jadeja will have a difficult time handling the spin department on his own. Furthermore, when the circumstances are favorable for spin bowling, Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are known to hunt in pairs.
Jadeja needs someone on the other end to capitalize on the pressure he creates with his impeccable line and length, and there is no better choice than Ashwin.
In the first Test, Ashwin was mostly powerless due to the circumstances being the polar opposite of what a spinner seeks.
Despite this, he was India’s most economical bowler, with figures of 1-41 in 19 overs.
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