If Rahul Dravid did not have enough headaches on team selection for T20 World Cup 2024, he will now have fresh selection headaches for India vs England Test series. The five-match IND vs ENG marathon Test series begins on Jan 25 in Hyderabad. And Dravid has to pick India’s wicketkeeper, bowling combinations as well as one between Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul.
IND vs ENG Test: Selection headaches
1. Who will keep wickets?
The biggest question is who will be India’s wicket-keeper in the India vs England 1st Test. While KL Rahul did well with keeping in the South Africa series, it’s a difficult challenge in India.
Unlike South Africa, where seamers and swing dominated, KL Rahul will have to keep wickets against Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja — two great turners of the ball. On spin-friendly pitches in India, it won’t be easy.
The team management is not confident with his keeping skills on turning tracks. That’s why India Cricket Team have KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel as backups.
The selection of Dhruv Jurel is also interesting. And it shows the selectors’ lack of trust in KS Bharat. The Andhra keeper-batter flopped against Australia at home. And despite scoring 64 in the two-day practice match, he has returned and scored only 15. In the only innings in South Africa, he scored 6.
Dhruv Jurel, on the other hand, has scored five half-centuries in his last eight innings in List A and First Class. He even hit a fifty against the England Lions in the practice match.
The four-day practice camp in Hyderabad will decide if KL Rahul can keep wickets in IND vs ENG 1st Test. If not, don’t be surprised to see Dhruv Jurel making his debut.
2. Shreyas Iyer or KL Rahul?
The second big decision is regarding KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. If KL Rahul is deemed not capable of keeping wickets against Ashwin and Jadeja, India will have to play either Bharat or Jurel. Hence, only one of Iyer or Rahul can get in.
KL Rahul, the batter has been excellent as he showed that in South Africa with a gritty century in Centurion. He is ahead of Iyer if the current form is considered.
However, in India, Shreyas Iyer is ahead of Rahul in terms of form. In the last 11 innings at home, Iyer has a century and three fifties. Who plays in the IND vs ENG 1st Test?
KL Rahul vs Shreyas Iyer in home Tests
| Player | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | 100/50 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 7 | 11 | 430 | 105 | 39.09 | 1/3 |
| KL Rahul | 16 | 25 | 923 | 199 | 40.13 | 1/8 |
3. Three spinners or three seamers?
Like every match, Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma have to decide on bowling combinations. Hyderabad historically has been a batting paradise with lots of runs on offer. In the World Cup, Pakistan chased down 345-run target by Sri Lanka.
Hence, a call on an additional spinner can only be made after reviewing the pitch. But the team management has already requested for turners in the entire IND vs ENG Test series. If it turns out to be a turner again, India could pick Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel along with Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
India squad for first Two Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan
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