Following the conclusion of the first Test at Headingley, India now turns its attention to the second Test match, which is scheduled to get underway on July 2 in Birmingham. Having lost the first match, the Shubman Gill-led Team India finds itself trailing 0-1 in the five-match series. Winning this next Test will be crucial for them, but it will be a challenging task as India has historically never won a Test match at this particular venue.
Harpreet Brar spotted bowling during India's nets session
In preparation for this crucial encounter, the Indian squad was seen putting in rigorous practice sessions in the nets. Prominent players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Shubman Gill were actively involved in the net practice. Interestingly, a familiar face was also observed during this session.
But what turned everyone's heads was a guest bowler who was see rolling his arms in the nets. In a video circulating on X (Twitter), Punjab Kings' (PBKS) spin bowler, Harpreet Brar, was present at India's training session and was seen bowling to the Indian batsmen in the nets. He appeared to be bowling well as the Indian team practiced their batting with focus.
This raises the question of whether Harpreet Brar might be included in the Test squad and the in playing XI against England. However, the answer is no. His presence was solely as a net bowler, assisting the team in preparing to face spin bowlers. The current Indian squad already includes Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. Given the English conditions, there is likely no need for a fourth specialist spinner in the playing eleven. Nevertheless, if an injury were to occur to one of the existing spinners during the tour, there is a possibility that Brar could be considered as a replacement in the squad.
Looking at the historical data from the last 10 Test matches played at this venue, it's clear that fast bowlers have dominated, taking a significant 230 wickets compared to the 59 wickets taken by spinners. This means that almost 80 per cent of the wickets in the last ten Tests at Edgbaston have fallen to pacers. This trend is expected to continue, as the pitch is likely to favor fast bowling, especially with England strengthening their team with the inclusion of Jofra Archer. Currently, Ravindra Jadeja is the primary spin-bowling all-rounder in India's playing XI. Even if the team decides to include another spinner in the lineup, they already have Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar available on the bench.