"This Test will be very important, more so for KL Rahul" - Wasim Jaffer on Team India's impending opening conundrum
Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer notes that the upcoming second Test against Bangladesh proves crucial for KL Rahul, especially with Shubman Gill rising through the ranks.
Gill stamped his authority with his maiden Test hundred in the first Test in Chattogram. Stand-in skipper Rahul, however, got credible starts in both innings, but could not make it count.
The wicketkeeper-batter's passive batting was criticized, especially since he vouched for a more attacking fashion prior to the contest.
Bangladesh vs India: 2nd Test
Tomorrow, 9:30 AM | 22nd-26th December, 2022 | at SBNCS, Dhaka
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Noting that only one of Rahul or Gill will get to open with Rohit Sharma in the subsequent home series against Australia next year, Jaffer said on ESPN Cricinfo:
"At least for this Test there is no selection headache, but going forward for the Australia series, one of the two will play, so this Test will be very important."
Jaffer continued:
"More so for KL Rahul because of late he has not been in the best of form. We are not seeing the best of KL Rahul, the attacking KL Rahul. He sometimes seems a bit subdued in his strokeplay."
Rahul scored 22 and 23 across both innings with a strike rate of 40 and 37, respectively. Gill, on the other hand, who could not get going in the first innings, adopted a much more positive approach and scored a hundred with a strike rate of 72.
"They might be scared to drop one batter from the playing XI" - Wasim Jaffer on Bangladesh team combination
Bangladesh will welcome the inclusion of Taskin Ahmed, who will be a straight swap for the injured Ebadot Hossain.
However, Shakib Al Hasan's injury, which did not allow him to bowl in the second innings of the first Test, might be a problem for the hosts in terms of their spin department.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announces the squad for the second Test (22-26 December 2022) against India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur.
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Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled the bulk of the overs, but the team had to make use of part-time options like Yasir Ali and Najmul Shanto as the third spinner on the sluggish and slow surface.
Opining that Bangladesh cannot afford to drop a batter to include another credible spinner in the playing XI, Jaffer said:
"It is not going to be a very high-scoring game, that's my prediction. So, the pacers along with 2 spinners and Shakib should be able to do the job. Their batting has not done well, so might be scared to drop one batter from the playing XI."
India will face Bangladesh in the second Test of the series starting on Thursday, December 22, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. The Men in Blue have a 1-0 lead heading into the contest.
Will Shubman Gill oust KL Rahul from the playing XI with his current form? Let us know what you think.
Also Read: "I don't see the Mirpur Test lasting 5 days, to be honest" - Wasim Jaffer