"Suryakumar Yadav should be included in the XI before it is too late"- Dilip Vengsarkar
Former Indian batter Dilip Vengsarkar feels Suryakumar Yadav is ready to make his Test debut. The Mumbai batter has been in terrific form in white-ball cricket and has been in England for a while.
India suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 76 runs in the third Test and cannot afford another loss if they want to win the series. Vengsarkar believes Suryakumar has the skills required to cement his place in India's middle-order in Test cricket too.
Speaking to PTI, Vengsarkar explained why he wants Suryakumar Yadav to play ahead of Hanuma Vihari. He also feels the Indian team should go in with six specialist batters.
"I don’t like to sound as if it’s a knee-jerk reaction, but I firmly believe we need to strengthen our batting line-up by including Suryakumar Yadav ahead of Hanuma Vihari. We should drop a bowler and go in with six batsmen. Surya can match (in terms of skills) with the best in this Indian team, and since he’s around for some time now, he should be included before it’s too late," Dilip Vengsarkar said.
Leaving your best spinner out of the XI is hard to digest: Dilip Vengsarkar
Dilip Vengsarkar was also baffled to see Ravichandran Ashwin miss out in the first three Tests. He feels Ashwin is India's best spinner and has to start every game.
Although Virat Kohli backs the five-bowler strategy, Vengsarkar wants the Indian team to play six batters and four bowlers to have a good chance of winning.
"Why Ashwin is not being picked so far is a mystery to me. You leave out your best spinner out of the playing eleven to me, is hard to digest. India will have to play with four bowlers and six batsmen if they have to win the remaining games," Dilip Vengsarkar concluded.
The fourth Test between England and India will start on Thursday (September 2) at The Oval.