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India trail by 1-0 as they head into the second Test of the five-match series against England which will be played at Edgbaston from July 2. This match will be highly important for the Men in Blue as if the hosts manage to increase the deficit and make it 2-0, then it will be very hard for Shubman Gill & Co. to make a comeback into the series.
Ahead of the second Test, former India head coach Greg Chappell stated that the lack of variety in their bowling attack is concerning. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, no other Indian bowler was able to constantly cause trouble for the England batters. As Bumrah went wicket-less in the final innings, the Three Lions chased down the target of 371 rather comfortably and won the first Test at Headingley by five wickets.
Chappell criticized India for the lack of variety in their bowling attack
"As disappointing as the fielding in Headingley was, it was not the main reason India lost the Test. Most of India's problems were self-inflicted. Perhaps the most expensive error was the no-ball that gave Harry Brook an early life in the second innings," Chappell wrote in his ESPNCricinfo column.
"More concerning to me, though, is the lack of variety in the bowling attack. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, India's seamers are too similar - all right-arm, medium-fast, operating at comparable angles. There is a reason why wickets often fall after a change of bowling. It forces the batter to recalibrate. That variability isn't available to Shubman Gill with his current crop," he added.
With there being uncertainty over Bumrah's participation in the second Test, Chappell believes that Arshdeep Singh should be brought into the playing XI as the 31-year-old's replacement. He further stated that India needs to 'rethink' their strategy with Ravindra Jadeja, who is neither a front-line spinner on English conditions nor is his batting good enough. The 36-year-old was able to take just one wicket and score a total of 36 runs during the first Test.
“Without Bumrah, I'd like to see left-armer Arshdeep Singh added to the mix and Kuldeep Yadav, possibly the best wristspinner since Shane Warne, included in the attack," Chappell stated.
“Jadeja is not a front-line spinner in English conditions. If his batting is considered good enough, he can be a support spinner; otherwise, a rethink is necessary. If India are to reverse their fortunes in this series then a better-balanced team is required,” he further wrote.
If Bumrah does get rested and fails to make it to India's playing XI for the second Test, some other bowler will need to step up as the Men in Blue's front-line pacer. This already is a massive task on its own, but doing so in English conditions and during a highly-important series makes it even more pressurizing and difficult.
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