In the 2nd Test, Brendon McCullum Hints at the Big Gamble Against India
Tom Hartley has not only won the opening Test for the England cricket team but, more importantly, dented the psyche of the batters of Team India, who might have to face an all-spin attack in the second Test starting on Friday. England beat India by 28 runs in the opening Test, with debutant Tom Hartley bagging seven in the second inning after going for plenty in the first. McCullum is eagerly waiting to have a look at the track and judge how it would behave.
On the same note, McCullum warned that if the pitch indeed favors the spinners, the Three Lions would not be afraid to field an all-spin attack, hinting that uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir, who missed out on Hyderabad due to a visa delay, could be handed his debut. However, senior-most spinner Jack Leach’s knee injury will be a concern.
The former New Zealand spinner said, “If the wickets continue to spin as much as what we saw in the first Test as the series goes on, look, we won’t be afraid to play all spinners or a balance of what we’ve got.”
McCullum added, “Bash, he was obviously with us during our camp in Abu Dhabi, and he really impressed with his skill set. He fitted in seamlessly within the group, and he’s a guy who’s got an immense amount of enthusiasm, albeit at a young age and pretty limited in his first-class experience.” “When he arrived, the boys gave him a huge cheer, and he got to witness something pretty special with the fellas bowling us to a Test win. He comes into calculations for the next test match.”