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A lot of conversation ahead of the third Test match between India and England in Rajkot has been around the nature of the pitch. In the first two Test matches, the pitches provide some assistance to the spinners but experts and fans agreed that none of them were rank turners. However, several former cricketers believe that the hosts may end up opting for the spin-friendly pitches later in the series and the focus is on the pitch at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. Legendary England skipper Michael Atherton took to social media to share a sneak peek into the pitch that will be used for the highly-anticipated clash.
Rajkot pitch between India Vs England. (- Mike Atherton). pic.twitter.com/gEBDhUtDWQ
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 14, 2024
India will need to be ruthless and tactful in equal measure while dealing with an unpredictable England when the third chapter of a riveting Test series begins on Thursday.
After England shocked India in the series opener at Hyderabad, the hosts came back strong in Vizag to get on level footing, leaving the five-match series perfectly poised.
The brilliance of Yashasvi Jaiswal (321 runs) and Jasprit Bumrah (15) allowed India to make a comeback in the series but concerns remain over a misfiring middle-order, which will now be relying on the young talent to deliver the goods.
Skipper Rohit Sharma‘s form with the bat before the eight-day break only added to the growing concern surrounding the Indian batting, which will be without K L Rahul in this game and Virat Kohli for the entirety of the series.
Over the last one year or so, Rohit’s aggressive approach with the bat has not yielded him big scores and the current situation demands the Indian skipper to perhaps contemplate changing gears.
Rahul’s unavailability for the third Test has put forth the possibility of Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan getting his long awaited debut in the longest format. The domestic run machine could be teaming up with one-Test old Rajat Patidar to occupy two of the most coveted batting spots in the middle order.
India’s glaring inexperience in the middle-order would have been well noted by the English camp, whose robust research on opponents and aggressive play has time and again delivered results.
Wicketkeeper KS Bharat‘s persistent failures with the bat has raised the possibility of India turning to Uttar Pradesh’s 23-year-old Dhruv Jurel, who is known for his aggressive batting.
With an average of 46.47 in 15 First-Class matches, Jurel has given a fine account of himself. With the pitch here at Rajkot not expected to be a rank turner, a debut here would only help Jurel ease into the world of top flight cricket.
(With PTI inputs)
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