It makes sense to replace Shardul in the second test against the Windies with Mukesh. But will Rohit Sharma carry it out? Here’s what India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik thinks.
If everyone is well, there should be no doubt about India’s starting XI given the level of dominance they shown in the series opener against the West Indies in Dominica, winning by an innings and 141 runs in three days. The second Test against the West Indies, which is scheduled to start on Thursday, will be India’s last before their next Test match against South Africa right at the end of this year, so it is the only chance to give some of the younger players, particularly Mukesh Kumar, some playing time.
“India won’t modify its philosophy, skill set, or starting XI in any way. The cricket they bring will be the same brand. They have been incredibly firm and certain of their goals. The Ashwin-Jadeja combination has excelled. Yashasvi Jaiswal, a rookie, has performed well. Without a change, there is no place for a change. They have been off for five days. They must have spent the first two to three days relaxing on the beaches, as is customary in the Caribbean, before engaging in two days of practice, according to Karthik on Cricbuzz.
“A lot of heat is what West Indies needs to provide. They are competent to do that. They must draw confidence from the unique things they accomplished under Kraigg Brathwaite. They must derive faith from that. Before the Test began, they appeared to have lost it somewhere in their minds, and this is not how international cricket should be played. In comparison to their performance in the previous Test, I believe they are aware of how much better they are as a team, he added.
