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'So that will be the attack..': Gavaskar predicts India's possible XI ahead of pink-ball Test

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Feb 17, 2021, 01:11 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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As per former India skipper, the team might go ahead with three pacers and two spinners due to it being a Day/Night fixture.

India's massive win over England would boost the morale of Virat and Co. as they head to match three of the four-match Test series. Team India will host England for a Day/Night Test match at Ahmedabad's newly-constructed Motera stadium. 

The pink-ball Test match at the Motera Ground will be the second match in the country. Former batting great Sunil Gavaskar contemplated India's possible changes for the upcoming Test match. As per former India skipper, the team might go ahead with three pacers and two spinners due to it being a Day/Night fixture.

"Jasprit Bumrah will be there. You're looking at three seam bowlers for sure. It's a pink ball Test so maybe one of the spinners will find themselves out of the team. Most likely it will be Kuldeep because he hasn't had too many opportunities, and Axar and R Ashwin. Ashwin you can’t drop for the next five years. So that will be the attack," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

Yadav went wicketless in the first innings of the Test match (where he bowled six overs), in the second innings, Kuldeep picked up two wickets (Ben Foakes and Moeen Ali). Hardik Pandya's availability as bowler still remains in doubt as the all-rounder was seen practising at the Motera Stadium. 

'I'm not sure if Hardik Pandya is fit enough to bowl because if he is, he can also slot in and India might actually go with a combination depending on the surface. I don't know what the surface at the new Motera will be like, but my feeling is that they will definitely go with three seam bowlers and two spinners," the former India captain stated.

Gavaskar was sure of Bumrah returning to the team to bolster the bowling attack for Team India. 

"Bumrah for sure will be back in the team. You'll probably have a new-ball attack in Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Siraj as your three new-ball bowlers, and Kuldeep… he may find himself out of the team because it's a pink-ball Test. The ball does tend to do a little bit more as evening approaches. And once you play under lights, it's a completely different seam so I would imagine that would be the only change, Bumrah coming in place of Kuldeep."