3 reasons why India should rest Mohammed Siraj for 5th Test vs England
Mohammed Siraj, who has been at the forefront of India's bowling attack in all formats of the game of late, has had a tremendous workload thrust upon him. The team management may choose to rest him for the fifth Test between India and England starting in Dharamsala on Thursday, March 7.
With India already wrapping up the series 3-1, this game is essentially a dead rubber, but one that England will be keen on winning as a matter of pride.
For India, however, resting Siraj may give them the option to look at the other seamers in the squad - Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar - alongside Jasprit Bumrah, who has returned to the squad after missing the fourth Test.
In this article, we will look at three reasons why India should rest Mohammed Siraj for the 5th Test:
#1 It will help Mohammed Siraj recover before the IPL begins
One of the biggest reasons that India should rest Mohammed Siraj in this match is so that he can recover quickly and be at his peak when the IPL begins on March 22.
Although T20 cricket cannot quite be given precedence over Tests, but since the series is done and dusted and Siraj hardly had a good time in the middle, it will do him a world of good to spend some time away from the sport.
This will allow him to recharge his batteries and come back fresh for the opportunities that lie ahead of him in the IPL for his franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore and the T20 World Cup 2024.
#2 It will allow them to test Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar together
Since the pitch at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala is bound to support a lot of seam movement, India may think of going in with three seamers.
With Bumrah making a comeback into the side, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar can be tested alongside him. If Mohammed Siraj is rested, both Akash and Mukesh may play together, and the management can see how the Bengal teammates fare when playing together for India.
Both are known to be good seam bowlers, and it will be interesting to see how they operate in Dharamsala.
#3 It will give India an idea on who is the right fit for them
If Mohammed Siraj is rested, the Indian team management will get a good idea as to who is the right fit for them in Tests at home.
Although it will be a tad unfair to the Hyderabad seamer to be rested on a surface meant for fast bowlers, it will also give the selectors and coach Rahul Dravid an idea as to who can fit their plans the best when it comes to picking a side for a Test in home conditions.
Since Bumrah is non-negotiable, the question only arises about the second pacer. Siraj stands a good chance of being the default choice at the moment, but it will not hurt the management to look at other options, such as Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar.