"Will make for a nice viewing experience for all the spectators"- Zaheer Khan hopes Rajkot track resembles pitches from opening two Tests
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan is hoping that the Rajkot track for the third Test between India and England will be similar to the pitches from the first two games.
The first Test at Hyderabad produced an equally contested thriller between bat and ball, with England emerging victorious by 28 runs. Team India bounced back in the following game at Vizag on another sporting wicket to win by 106 runs and level the series.
Speaking to Jio Cinema ahead of the all-important third Test, Zaheer was hopeful that Rajkot will produce a similar wicket to Hyderabad and Vizag.
"I hope the pitch is on similar lines to the one in Hyderabad and Vizag. On that kind of a surface, we should be able to see a good contest between bat and ball for the first two days and spin comes into play on the third day. You'll see some reverse swing as well. And on the fourth and fifth days, you'll have the spinners dominating. If that is the pattern, it will make for a nice viewing experience for all the spectators and the fans will enjoy," said Zaheer.
Former England batter Owais Shah echoed Zaheer's sentiments and felt the match-up between Jasprit Bumrah and the English middle-order will hold the key to the outcome.
"The big match-up will be between Jasprit Bumrah and England's middle-order. That's because Bumrah will be able to generate reverse swing in Rajkot. When he bowls with the old ball, it becomes difficult for the England batters. That's because he's getting wickets and not giving away runs," said Shah.
In the two Tests thus far, Bumrah has made the old ball talk with his ability to reverse-swing the cherry in both directions.
The 30-year-old is the series' leading wicket-taker, with 15 scalps at an incredible average of under 11.
With the possibility of Rajkot assisting reverse-swing, England have included a second seamer in Mark Wood instead of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir for the third Test.
"That's another headache once you have picked the squad" - Zaheer Khan on Indian XI for the 3rd Test
Zaheer Khan felt the inclusion of Ravindra Jadeja has created another headache for the think tank to finalize the bowling attack for the third Test.
After missing the second Test with a hamstring injury, the left-arm spinner will walk into the playing XI at Rajkot if fully fit. It leaves India with the difficult decision of benching one of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, or Mohammed Siraj.
"That's another headache once you have picked the squad! Whether it's going to be Axar (Patel), whether it's going to be Kuldeep (Yadav) or you are going to pick all of them. This is something India will be thinking about, whether you need that extra bowler along with Jasprit (Bumrah). It will also depend on how the pitch is going to play, so some complex decision-making will be involved," said Zaheer.
Kuldeep came in for Jadeja in the second Test and was India's best spinner with four wickets.
Yet, Axar has added tremendous value with his all-round abilities, making it hard to drop him. Thus, it increases the possibility of India playing all four spinners and Bumrah as the lone pacer.