Ex-Head Coach of India Ravi Shastri raises a pertinent question on the inclusion of a star pacer
Former head coach of Indian cricket team Ravi Shastri wasn’t convinced by the decision to include Mukesh Kumar in the team instead of all-rounder Washington Sundar for the second Test against England at Vizag. In a surprise move, the visitors went in with four spinners, while India chose to field only three.
Ravi Shastri said on commentary, “My only concern is picking Mukesh Kumar over Washington Sundar. How much of a use will Mukesh be, especially after India is batting first on this Vizag surface?"
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal looked in sublime form as he scored his second Test hundred. Not only did he score 179 not out, but he also ensured that he held the innings together when the wickets were crumbling from the other end. It was largely due to his efforts that Team India managed to reach 336/6 at the end of the day’s play.
Having said that, the job is still not done for Jaiswal, as India would be looking to score at least 500 on a surface conducive to batting. In the first Test too, India had scored 436 in the first innings, which wasn’t enough after all, as England went on to win the match by 28 runs.