Ben Stokes's England are aiming to secure a victory in the third Test against India to take a 2-1 series lead in the five-match contest. England delivered an outstanding performance in the initial two matches and clinched the first Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad. However, they faced a 106-run defeat in the second Test against India which left the series locked at 1-1.
India sans key players
Entering the third Test, India will be without key players Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Kohli is sitting out the Rajkot Test for personal reasons, while Rahul is sidelined due to a thigh issue.
Ben Stokes reacts on Virat Kohli's absence
During a pre-match press conference, England captain Ben Stokes mentioned that Kohli's absence offers an excellent opportunity to win the third Test. Nonetheless, he emphasised that Kohli's absence should not be seen strictly in terms of advantage or disadvantage.
“I don’t mean to say anything disrespectful to the question. I think when it’s situations like these, when someone is missing a big series and a lot of cricket due to personal reasons, which we are not sure of, we shouldn’t label that as positive or negative to our team,” Stokes said in the video posted by the ECB.
“We should just let it be. It’s a broader loss for cricket. I wish Virat whatever he is going through all the best, I wish he comes through it. Virat Kohli, on a cricket field, is something that everybody wants to see,” Stokes added.
Ben Stokes has excelled in his leadership role during the first two Tests against India, skillfully managing his bowling lineup and contributing effectively with the bat. His strategic field placements have also been commendable.
There are speculations that Virat Kohli is expecting his second child, which has led to his withdrawal from the series. His participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League remains uncertain. KL Rahul, who was named in the squad for the last three Tests, had to prove his fitness. Despite sharing a video of himself practicing in the nets, the BCCI's medical team deemed him unfit for the third Test, leading to his exclusion.
Team India brainstorming on playing XI imbroglio
India face several challenges as they prepare for the third Test match. The team's middle order is a significant concern for the management ahead of the Rajkot Test, and they are keen on resolving this issue promptly.
Sarfaraz Khan might be considered for inclusion in the team to replace Shreyas Iyer, who was dropped from the squad for the remaining three Tests owing to latter's lackluster performance. KS Bharat has also failed to live up to the team's expectations. His performance with the bat has been disappointing, with no half-centuries to his name in his Test career, and his wicketkeeping has been marred by numerous errors.
KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel?
The team management is contemplating replacing KS Bharat with Dhruv Jurel for the upcoming match in Rajkot. Meanwhile, England has suffered a significant setback with the loss of left-arm spinner Jack Leach to injury ahead of the third Test. Although the pitches in the first two matches did not favor spin bowling as expected in India, it will be interesting to observe how England's bowling unit adapts in Rajkot.
India’s updated squad for the third Test: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Devdutt Padikkal.
England's Playing XI for 3rd Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
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