New Chandigarh:India go into a one-off Test against Afghanistan from Saturday, switching to red-ball cricket barely a week after the Indian Premier League final. The Punjab Cricket Association Stadium here will become a new Test venue, while India head coach Gautam Gambhir stressed on continuity as well as finding consistency.
It is only the second Test between the teams and India’s focus will be on trying out young players to build the side for the new World Test Championship cycle under skipper Shubman Gill.
“We know the kind of quality and talent we have, there’s no reason not to believe that we can win the WTC,” Gambhir told the media on Friday. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal will open and Gill will bat at No.4. Gambhir was emphatic that Sai Sudharsan will be given a longer run at No.3.
The left-hander made his debut in England last summer, scoring 140 runs at an average of 23.3 with one fifty. The 24-year-old showed glimpses of his potential in the home series against West Indies too late last year, but his excessive shuffling to the off-stump has been exploited by pacers. Karun Nair replaced Sudharsan in two Tests in England but his comeback did not work and the latter was restored to the eleven. Fellow left-hander Devdutt Padikkal, prolific for Karnataka, is an option.
“Honestly, Sai hasn’t got a fair chance. He’s only played a handful of Tests, and started his career in England, which we all know is not the easiest place. We need to give him a fair run,” Gambhir said.
Both Sudharsan and Padikkal enjoyed an outstanding IPL campaign. Padikkal can even be slotted in at No. 5.
After batting coach Ryan ten Doeschate the previous day, Gambhir too made it clear that Rishabh Pant needs to find consistency. While Dhruv Jurel is waiting in the wings, Pant is expected to keep wicket, but has been removed as vice-captain.
Pant’s batting aggression in Tests has been a big asset for India, but it hasn’t often paid off.
“We expect Rishabh to be the way he is. We’re not going to tell him to curb his game. What’s important is reading the situation and understanding what the team needs,” Gambhir said.
The bowling department too could see fresh faces. Mohammed Siraj is likely to lead the attack with Prasidh Krishna, but the team management’s focus will be on building spin resources.
With no Ravindra Jadeja, Gambhir said India will test the depth of spin. “This is probably the only Test where we can look at someone who could be a long-term fourth spinner,” he said.
Vidarbha’s Harsh Dubey and Rajasthan’s Manav Suthar, both left-arm spinners, have both impressed in domestic cricket and are also good lower order batters. Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy are all expected to feature.
Gambhir, however, saw the challenge beyond team selection. India go into the Test directly after a long T20 season. “One thing we’ve realised is that we need to start preparing better for red-ball cricket, and we’ve got to do that going forward,” he said.
“Coming after three months of white-ball cricket and getting straight into a Test is tough, but these guys are professionals. There are no excuses.
“Preparation is important, but what matters even more in Test cricket is the mental skill. If you’re mentally ready to grind it out, you’ll be in good shape,” he said.
Many inexperienced members are in the squad against Afghanistan and Gambhir said they will take time to settle down. “The actual transition happened after England. These are young boys, most of whom have played fewer than 30 Tests. Consistency will take time, but we’ve got enough talent to turn it around,” he said.
India’s only Test against Afghanistan was played in 2018 and the hosts won comfortably, but the team will aim at the bigger battles to achieve a first WTC win.
