5 Indian Test issues that remain unanswered

Pace Attack:

CRICKET-TRI-WIS-IND

India’s Pace attack continues to be the biggest question: the only surefire starter was Bhuvneshwar Kumar and now he has been ruled out of the first three tests. India’s main second option in the South Africa series was Jasprit Bumrah who will not be available until the second test. Thus, Team India are in a hellish scenario where their two best pace bowlers are injured (a reminder of many nightmarish foreign tours of yesteryear).

This will mean an opportunity for some backup pacers: India have selected Hardik Pandya, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami as potential options. Pandya is trusted by the team management as a pace-bowling all-rounder and thus is likely to be chosen at least in the first test. Questions surrounding the rest of the composition of the pace attack.

Sharma provides experience and his 2014 spell against England at Lord’s provided India with their only test victory in the country over the past decade. Yet, the Delhi bowler’s inconsistency and inability to bowl full makes him a risky option. Yadav is similar in the sense that his pace could create problems for English players but is often leaky and inconsistent.

Shami would be an interesting option in such conditions but he hasn’t played a first-class match since December 2017. Finally, Thakur hasn’t played a test yet but has shown some promise in first-class cricket. This is a conundrum that will need to be solved correctly if India are to win their first series in England since 2007.