Sport unites and this time round it has done so with the cancellation of the IPL. All of India shares the same sentiment that with the soldiers fighting to defend the nation, it was not apt to continue with the IPL at the moment. From a cricketing standpoint, can this break be utilised better by India’s cricketers, specifically Jasprit Bumrah for example, to better prepare for the tour? A fresh Bumrah could be India’s answer to this tough assignment and a couple of weeks of extra rest and preparation could do him a world of good.
In fact, if the IPL doesn’t restart in a week, which is unlikely at the moment with international players having left for their respective destinations, it could well be that Bumrah travels to England early and plays a part in some of the games to just get used to the conditions and the rigours of red ball cricket.
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He hasn’t played red ball since that day in Sydney when he had to leave the SCG mid day to go to the hospital to get scans done on his back. As reported by Gargi Raut the other day, the gap between Tests two and three is such that Bumrah might find it hard to recover. What this break can do is give him the perfect preparation to launch the series for India in style.
The batters too should utilise this break better. In the absence of Rohit Sharma, who has retired, India will have less experience in that dressing room. Also, with Rohit not there, could the selectors decide to look at Rahane or Pujara as a stop gap for this one tour? Chances are they will not. While such a call would be a look back and not a look ahead, it is one of the questions doing the ranks.
The India A team for the tour is likely to be announced tomorrow and it should give us an idea of the selectors’ mindset. With the uncertainty surrounding the IPL, it will be interesting to see who they decide to send to the UK earlier than planned to get used to the conditions.
A couple of weeks of extra batting practice could make a massive difference and India should use this gap better and be better prepared. Players from IPL teams that are already out could also be asked to travel earlier with others expected to join them soon after there is clarity.
The focus, it can be conjectured, will soon turn to the all-important England tour. And India, at this point, starts as a huge underdog. We haven’t won a series in England since 2007 and with the series starting early June, the conditions will be hugely challenging for a fragile batting line up. With the ball too, stars like Siraj and Shami (if picked) will have to back Bumrah up. Arshdeep could indeed be a strong pick given his ability to swing the ball late into the batters. At Leeds, on 20 June, he could be India’s answer against Root and Brook.
In all, it is time to recalibrate and best utilise the two weeks. Preparation is the key and hopefully this will help India compete better in the UK.
Also Read:Has white-ball form been used to settle the Rishabh Pant – Shubman Gill red-ball captaincy debate?
