Indian cricket team players in practice© AFP
Former Indian cricket team coach Sanjay Bangar believes that Devdutt Padikkal can make his debut during the fifth Test match against England in Dharamsala on Thursday. Rajat Patidar has failed to impress in the past couple of matches and in a recent interaction, Bangar said that the team management can bring in Padikkal considering the fact that India have already won the series. He also suggested that Kuldeep Yadav should make way for Jasprit Bumrah who will get a lot of help from the pitch.
“It will be slightly cold and there will be a little seam movement because of the altitude at which the ground is located. Because of that, there will be one condition-based change. Jasprit Bumrah can return in place of Kuldeep Yadav. So India will play with three fast bowlers – (Mohammed) Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep,” said Bangar during a discussion on Star Sports.
“Because Rajat (Patidar) hasn’t scored runs in three Test matches, you can see a new debutant there. The Indian team can give a chance to Devdutt Padikkal. So two changes according to me,” he added.
Test cricket will see two players featuring in their 100th game together for only the fourth time when India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and England batter Jonny Bairstow take the field.
The first such occasion was when former England captain Michael Atherton and Alec Stewart reached the landmark against the West Indies at Old Trafford back in 2000.
The second instance involved three players as South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock and Stephen Fleming played their 100th Test in the South Africa-New Zealand game in Centurion in 2006.
The third was Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke in the England-Australia Ashes contest in Perth in 2013.
Ashwin and Bairstow will be representing their respective teams in the fifth and final Test here from Thursday.
It will also mark only the second occasion when two players from the opposing teams will be playing their 100th Test in the same game.
(With PTI inputs)
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