Varun Aaron suggests tactical bowling shuffle for India ahead of Lord’s Test
London [UK], July 9 (ANI): As India gears up for the third Test against England at Lord’s, former India pacer Varun Aaron spoke of the changes and strategy of the Indian team.
“Jasprit Bumrah is definitely going to come in. Now, the only question is whether India will go with four fast bowlers or stick to three," Aaron said on JioHotstar.
He further added that young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to be rested.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy is most likely to be rested. He is expected to make way for another player, as India could not fully utilise his skillset in the previous match. I also felt he could have contributed a little more on the field. He is a quality player, no doubt, but he might have to wait a bit longer for a consistent run," Aaron said.
With both India’s batting and bowling units performing well, Aaron believes the team has the flexibility to make tactical decisions based on conditions at Lord’s.
“India has the flexibility to either bring in an extra batter or an extra bowler based on the conditions," he noted.
Aaron also offered insight into how India might reshuffle their bowling lineup tactically, especially with the form Mohammed Siraj has shown.
“I feel Mohammed Siraj will definitely move to first change, coming in at No. 3 in the bowling line-up. He has that ability to zip the ball through, with a slightly older Dukes ball–and in my opinion, the Dukes ball actually behaves better when used as a first-change option," Aaron explained.
Siraj was the star with the ball for India in the first innings, claiming six wickets, followed by a wicket in the second innings. He praised Siraj’s seam control and ability to exploit movement, especially with the dismissal of Zak Crawley in Edgbaston.
“Just look at his seam position and how he is presenting the ball–it is outstanding. The way he got the openers out in both innings, especially Zak Crawley, luring him into that drive outside the off-stump, speaks volumes about his control and skill," Aaron said.
The former pacer was also full of praise for Akash Deep.
“As for Akash Deep, you simply cannot leave him out. He is currently among the top three bowlers in the world in terms of new-ball averages. Much like Jasprit Bumrah, he can bowl whenever and wherever you need him to," Aaron noted.
Akash Deep impressed with a ten-wicket haul, etching his name in the record books by registering the best bowling figures in a match for India in England, surpassing the long-standing record held by Chetan Sharma. Deep’s match figures of 10/187 edged past Sharma’s 10/188.
After picking up 4/88 in the first innings to lay the foundation, Akash Deep returned in the second innings to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket, finishing with 6/99. (ANI)
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