Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy or Mohammed Siraj -- Who should Akash Deep replace in India's 11 for 3rd BGT 2024-25 Test?
Should Akash Deep play the third Test? Following India's 10-wicket defeat in Adelaide in the second Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test, several questions have risen on the team's approach, the way they played and what could have been done better.
After beginning the series with a fabulous win at Perth, the visitors failed to build on the momentum in Adelaide, with the series now hanging in balance (1-1). Out of the many things that went wrong for India, one could be the decision not to play Akash Deep in the XI for the second Test.
Like Mitchell Starc for Australia, India needed someone who could make the most of the pink ball. The visitors may have missed a trick by not playing Akash Deep. They will need someone going into the Brisbane Test, who can bowl at better lengths and swing the ball.
While bowling full may not be the 27-year-old's primary forte, Akash Deep is someone who can swing the ball and skid it as well. He is someone who can exploit conditions better with his skill with the ability to generate movement off the new ball. Deep, who also has an impressive record in the few Tests that he has played so far, can swing the ball better when it moves in the air to a great extent.
India's bowlers could not make the best of the conditions and there is a possibility of Akash Deep coming into the side for the third Test in Brisbane. Along with Jasprit Bumrah, the visitors will need someone who can trouble the Australian batters more and Deep might just be the solution to this issue.
However, with three fast bowling options apart from Bumrah, that is Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy, and Mohammed Siraj, the question is - who should make way for Akash Deep in the side for the third BGT 2024-25 Test?
Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy or Mohammed Siraj -- Who should Akash Deep replace in India's 11 for 3rd BGT 2024-25 Test?
Harshit Rana, the 22-year-old pacer, had an impressive debut in the Perth Test. The Perth surface, which had both bounce and pace, made Rana a solid choice as the conditions suited his style of bowling.
In conditions such as Adelaide, where there was still bounce and pace but also swing on offer, Rana did not prove to be as effective as he failed to pick up a single wicket in the first innings and could not put the opposition batters under pressure either, giving away 86 runs from 16 overs at an economy-rate of 5.4.
While the conditions in Perth, where there was pace and bounce, suited Rana, his shortcomings were exposed in Adelaide.
As for all-rounder Nitish Reddy, he was the highest run-scorer for India in their first innings in Perth, scoring 41 off just 59 deliveries. He was also unbeaten on 38 in the second innings. In the final innings of the match, he also picked up a wicket.
Where India's batters failed in the second Test, Reddy once again stood tall, scoring 42 runs in quick time in the first innings. He once again scored 42 in the second innings and also picked up a wicket in the match. Nitish Reddy gives the balance needed as someone who can score quick and valuable runs down the order, having done so in both Tests so far.
Mohammed Siraj, who is among the senior players in the side now, grabbed five wickets in Perth and also picked up four wickets in Adelaide. With nine wickets from both games so far, Siraj has begun the series on a positive note without a doubt.
That said, looking at the cases of all three - Harshit, Nitish, and Siraj, it clearly appears that if one player has to make way for Akash Deep to come into the side for the third Test, it is most likely to be Harshit Rana.
Will Akash Deep play the Brisbane Test? And if so, whom will he replace? It remains to be seen as fans and experts eagerly await the answers to these questions ahead of the third Test.