Senior spinner R Ashwin’s exclusion from the playing XI of the first Test between India and England in Nottingham came as a shock to many. Considering his great form in the past couple of Test series, Ashwin looked one of the certain starters for many, however, he was left out as India went with four pacers in the Test match.
Virat Kohli and the team management have once again continued with the trend of picking four quicks as the experienced Ishant Sharma replaced injured Sharul Thakur in the playing XI for the ongoing second Test at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. Despite being one of the favourites to take Shardul’s place in the XI, Ashwin once again failed to make the cut.
Indian captain Kohli was asked about the idea behind the decision to replace Shardul with Ishant and not Ashwin in the Test match. Kohli explained that Ashwin was part of the plans but Ishant was preferred over him due to the conditions and the pitch at Lord’s.
“We announced 12 within the group and Ashwin definitely was part of that. But after looking at the pitch, the conditions, and considering how a fourth seamer can be an attacking option, this makes the most sense for us as a team,” Kohli said at the toss when asked about Ashwin’s absence.
Ishant replacing Shardul in the playing XI was the only change for India in the Lord’s Test from the first game in Nottingham. England captain Joe Root won the toss and opted to bowl first amid a cloud cover and overcast conditions at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. Kohli, who lost his eighth straight toss in his eighth Test as captain in England, said he too would have liked to bowl first.
“Same, we would’ve bowled first as well. But not too bad batting first as well, good opportunity to put a score,” said the Indian skipper, who would be looking to bounce back with the bat after failing in the first Test.
Kohli was dismissed on a duck by James Anderson in the first innings of the first Test and didn’t get a chance to bat in the second essay. Kohli will be hopeful of bringing an end to his century drought having last reached the triple-figure mark in December 2019.
