3 players Ravindra Jadeja can replace in India's 11 if he comes back for 3rd Test vs England
After being ruled out of the second Test against England due to injury, Ravindra Jadeja is apparently making great progress in terms of recovery and is reportedly in contention to return to the playing XI. The upcoming third Test, scheduled to take place in Rajkot, might result in some changes to India's playing XI as they look to take a lead for the first time in the series.
Jadeja sustained a hamstring injury in the first Test in Hyderabad, and while the initial prognosis did not look positive he is set to make an early return, if reports are to be believed. It hardly needs to be said that a fully fit Jadeja will walk back into the playing XI, no matter what the combination or the conditions dictate.
The all-rounder was stationed at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), and although nothing is set in stone regarding his return, the team management expects a positive update in the form of a report by the NCA physios soon.
On that note, let us take a look at three players Ravindra Jadeja can replace in India's 11 if he comes back for the third Test vs England.
#1 Kuldeep Yadav
Team India will most likely revert to their original playing XI from the first Test if both KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja attain full fitness in time. With Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel adding bowling prowess as well as the much-needed batting depth, it results in Kuldeep Yadav making way for Jadeja.
The left-arm wrist spinner bowled well in the second Test in Vishakapatnam, claiming four wickets, including Zak Crawley's dismissal that brought India back into the game on Day 4.
However, with India being a shaky outfit in terms of batting, they need all hands on deck, including Ravindra Jadeja, who has been one of the best red-ball batters for the side of late. The inclusion of Jadeja allows the Men in Blue to have proficient batting up to the No.9 position.
#2 Mukesh Kumar
The right-arm pacer had a horrid game in Vishakapatnam, while his seam bowling partner Jasprit Bumrah put on an excellent game. Mukesh picked up only a single wicket and failed to bring any sort of control with his spell.
As a result, there is a high chance that Mukesh Kumar might find himself out of the playing XI. If Bumrah chooses to play in the upcoming third Test as reports suggest, then Mukesh Kumar will have to make way for the returning Mohammed Siraj.
If Bumrah does not feature, the hosts will be tempted to follow England's combination and include four spinners and one seamer in the playing XI, which will result in Jadeja coming in for Mukesh Kumar.
There is not much information on how the surface for the third Test will play out, but traditionally the wickets in Rajkot have been batting-friendly. In whatever manner the pitch behaves, Jadeja's crucial home ground experience will be key for India.
#3 Jasprit Bumrah
Should the in-form pacer choose to skip the third Test keeping his workload in mind, then Jadeja can potentially come into the playing XI in his place. On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj can replace Mukesh Kumar as the lone pacer in the playing XI.
This way the batting depth is not compromised, as KL Rahul, if he returns to full fitness in time, can replace either Shreyas Iyer or Rajat Patidar to reclaim his place in the middle order.
This scenario, in all fairness, seems quite unlikely compared to the aforementioned two ways through which the spin-bowling all-rounder can feature in the playing XI. Bumrah's presence is vital for Team India across two fronts in the form of conditions as well as the series score.
The Men in Blue will need Bumrah's skill on a batting-friendly pitch to avoid Bazball taking over the proceedings. And with the series quite precariously placed at 1-1, the fourth Test could be viewed as an ideal avenue for Bumrah to rest, since it takes place on a spinner-friendly surface in Ranchi. There is always scope for the seamer to return for the series finale in Dharamshala, potentially one of the most seam-friendly wickets in the entire country.
Will the all-rounder be fit in time for the third Test against England? Let us know what you think.