5 Players India Need To Find A Place For In Their Test Team

After their recent loss to England, these are 5 players that need to be included in the next Test.

Cricket is like a religion in India. Everywhere you go, in every available space, kids are playing cricket. Youngsters hone their skills playing tape ball street cricket, before graduating to club level and playing with the hardball. They all dream of one day donning that Indian jersey and stepping out on the field to represent their country. In the land of a billion plus people, it’s no overestimation to say that in excess of 95% of the population are obsessed with cricket. A lot of those who make the grade and play club cricket do so to a pretty decent level. But it’s that star quality that separates decent club cricketers from stepping up and becoming international stars.

There’s a lot of competition for places in the Indian team. Youngers grew up emulating batting greats, hoping one day to follow in their footsteps. India’s renowned for producing top-notch batting talent. Sunil Gavaskar, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Ravi Shastri, are just a few names that come mind. Then who can forget that golden generation; Laxman, Sehwag, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman. Then there are the bowlers, mainly spinners.

The current crop isn’t half bad. They’ve risen to number one in the Test rankings for a reason. But are they worthy of the top spot? A lot feel that this current tour of England will be their toughest test of late. They need to prove themselves as the best Test team in the world by emerging victorious from the series. So far it hasn’t gone to plan. England have won the first Test at Edgbaston. It was a closely contested match that resulted in a nail-biting finish. India just didn’t have enough firepower with the bat.

Just as everyone thought, there was an overreliance on Virat Kohli. He’s one player who emerged with some credibility, having banished his demons of old. But batting wise, India need to sure up. In the bowling department, they need to be more ruthless. There’s plenty of competition for places. It’s baffled many as to how some of these names weren’t included in the first test. India need to find a place for these five players if they’re going to make any sort of headway.

#5 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has played well on this tour for India A

20-year-old Rishabh Pant has made a name for himself due to his devastating form in the shorter formats of the game. He’s young, he’s raw, but has honed his skills for years on the domestic circuit and in the IPL. He’s now part of India’s plans. With the retirement of MS Dhoni, India are looking for a replacement. Pant fits the mould.

But, Dinesh Karthik has also had a great IPL. He’s more experienced and has pedigree at Test level. He’s made runs opening the batting in England before. It wasn’t a strange inclusion. But due to his performance in this Test, it might be worth giving the youngster a go.

#4 Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara has experience playing County cricket in England

A lot of people were baffled as to how Cheteshwar Pujara didn’t make the Test team, to begin with. He’s a Test player through and through. Red ball cricket is his speciality. Time and time again he’s proven his worth, has done it for India. At number three, he can dig in, weather the storm and negate the new ball.

Then he’s able to flourish. Once he’s in, he can go big. A lot of people would deem Pujara to be perfect for English conditions and were miffed that he wasn’t included. But India felt they had to find a place for KL Rahul.

#3 Ravi Jadeja

Jadeja is India's highest-ranked spinner

Ok, so it’s not very likely that you’re going to need two spinners in England. English pitches aren’t exactly renowned for being spin-friendly tracks. India have gone for Ravi Ashwin as their frontline spinner. But Jadeja has done well in the longer format in recent years. He’s actually ranked in the top ten in the world as a spinner.

He’s also a decent batsman and could add some depth to a rather short and wobbly batting line-up. Jadeja wasn’t happy about being left out of the first Test and understandably so. But after losing the first, India might make some changes. Jadeja could find himself in the starting 11.

#2 Kuldeep Yadav

Yadav had a good showing in the ODI series

23-year-old Kuldeep Yadav has proven his spinning credentials in the IPL. The IPL acted as a platform for him, and he’s since been selected by India in the shorter formats. He surprised everyone with his performances in the T20s and ODIs. His unorthodox, mystery spin, bamboozled the English and Irish batsmen. It led to him gaining a place in the Test squad. Many were saying that he just had to play.

But India stuck with Ashwin. Ashwin proved his worth in the first Test. But could India gamble on another spinner, on some mystery spin? England have shown themselves to be suspect against the turning ball.

#1 Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah has recently been a part of India's Test side

Is it time to bring something different to India’s pace attack? Virat Kohli likes to be loyal. His pace bowlers didn’t exactly put in a poor showing. But they just weren’t consistent. Ishant showed his experience. Yadav and Shami did well in patches. Pandya failed to back them up as the fourth seaming option, unlike Ben Stokes for England.

Bumrah has been knocking on the door for some time. He’s one of the best in the world in ODI cricket, especially in the death overs. He’s also got an unorthodox action. England’s batsmen could find him tricky to face.