Edgbaston loss is more than just a wake-up call for Team India
With the lack of runs in red ball cricket in London on his mind, having managed a meagre 134 runs in his last 10 innings at the location, Virat Kohli set the tone in the first Test of the series. He emerged as the highest individual scorer of the match with 200 runs across the two innings.
However, Kohli's brilliance was not enough for Team India, as the visitors fell short by 31 runs to give England a 1-0 lead with four Test matches left in the series.
The batting, which was brutally exposed against the moving ball, and the lack of ability to close the game when on top, especially overseas, are worrying signs for India. They had England down to 87/7 with the hosts just 100 runs ahead, and yet the last three partnerships managed to score 93 runs which eventually turned out to be the decisive factor in the end.
India opted to play Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul and left Cheteshwar Pujara out of the XI. Like Kohli, Pujara too has a point to prove in England, and Kohli's troops probably missed someone who can stay at the crease for a long period.
More than the loss, what must be bothering Kohli and Ravi Shastri is the resources they have in the bank in terms of batting options. The batters who were left out of the first match, barring Pujara, have hardly played in England. Rishabh Pant earned his maiden Test call-up for this series, and Karun Nair, who scored a triple ton in his last outing for India in Tests against England, has never played in England either.
Kohli likes to chop and change the XI irrespective of the result, and it will be interesting to see if Pujara can make a comeback into the team. And if he does, can he handle what James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Sam Curran have to offer?
Speaking of options, Pant did well against England Lions while representing India A earlier last month (July). But it remains to be seen whether he ready for the biggest stage or not; that is something that the team management has to take a call on.
Meanwhile, after the triple ton against England in Chennai, Nair has not made a notable contribution with the bat in a Test match. But he had a decent domestic season prior to this tour, scoring 612 runs in seven matches with an average of 51.68.
Both Nair and Pant are yet to play a test match outside the subcontinent, and the team management looks uncertain about including Pujara into the final XI.
The Lord's Test is scheduled to begin on 9th August and England will miss the services of their enforcer, Ben Stokes due to a hearing of his case for his involvement in a brawl at Bristol. Interestingly, it was Stokes who triggered India's second innings collapse on the penultimate day of the first Test with figures of 4/40.
Regardless, the first Test is an indication of the various changes that the Indian team need to employ if they wish to make a strong comeback.
