Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri questioned Mukesh Kumar’s selection ahead of Washington Sundar in the second Test match against England at Visakhapatnam. India made three changes to their playing XI, bringing in Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Rajat Patidar for Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul.
While Jadeja and Rahul have been ruled out due to injuries, Siraj was rested. However, Shastri questioned Kumar’s selection after India decided to bat first on a good batting pitch.
Kumar has picked six wickets in two Test matches whereas he has scalped five wickets in six ODI games. The 30-year-old has snared a dozen wickets in 14 T20I games he has played.
On the other hand, with Jadeja being ruled out, selecting Washington Sundar would have given more batting depth to the team. Sundar had scored a magnificent fifty against Australia in the historic win at Gabba on the 2020-21 tour. Furthermore, the off-spinner has the experience of bowling with a new ball in white-ball format.
Meanwhile, England is playing with a solitary pacer in James Anderson and three spinners. The visitors had backed Mark Wood in the opening Test.
“My only concern is picking Mukesh Kumar over Washington Sundar. How much of use will Mukesh be, especially after India is batting first on this Vizag surface,” Ravi Shastri said while commentating during the first session of the 2nd Test.
India were 103-2 at lunch on the opening day of the second Test.
India’s playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Shreyas Iyer, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav.
England’s playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes(c), Ben Foakes(w), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson.
