Fresh from a commanding win against New Zealand, where they chased down a target of 274 within 48 overs, India put on a show, with Virat Kohli's crucial 95-run performance and Mohammed Shami's stellar five-wicket spell restricting the Kiwis to a modest score. However, with Hardik Pandya sidelined due to an injury for the next crucial match against England, a selection conundrum awaits the Indian side.
Meanwhile right ahead of the clash between India and England, legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh has a piece of advice for Men In Blue's skipper Rohit Sharma. He strongly advocates for the inclusion of all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, recommending that he should come into the squad in place of fast bowler Mohammed Siraj.
Explaining his point, Harbhajan said that giving Siraj a breather might be beneficial considering his back-to-back games. He also highlighted the possible advantage of the Lucknow pitch for spinners. “Kuldeep Yadav's form has been good, but I wonder if we will get to see three spinners play in the next game - Kuldeep, [Ravindra] Jadeja and Ashwin. It could be a possibility since England do not play spin well. As it is, England are not playing well in the World Cup, and if the ball starts spinning, I don't think they will be able to do much better. Playing three spinners might not be a bad option,” Harbhajan said on his official YouTube channel.
“Siraj can be rested. He has played back-to-back games. Shami has just come into the playing XI and has claimed a five-fer. If a pitch is a normal one and is not expected to offer a lot of turn, then I do not see too many changes in the team. The team that played against New Zealand might be retained. However, India is playing England, so they might want a slow pitch,” he added.
Team India's exceptional performance has placed them comfortably at no.2 in the points table, boasting an unblemished record of five victories in as many games. Contrastingly, England's campaign seems to be stumbling, with only a singular win from their four outings.
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