Former Indian coach Sanjay Bangar was asked to predict India’s line-up for the 5th and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. However, his prediction missed the mark as Gautam Gambhir opted for three seamers, leaving Shardul Thakur out of the playing XI.
Sanjay Bangar on India’s Bowling Strategy
Bangar appeared on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues', where he was asked whether Kuldeep Yadav would start in the 5th Test ahead of Shardul Thakur. While he initially wanted to see Kuldeep in the XI, his opinion shifted after watching footage of the pitch, which showed a lot of grass and seemed to favour seamers like Shardul.
“I would certainly want him to be part of the squad, but from the little footage we saw, there was a lot of grass cover. So, no matter how much we want Kuldeep Yadav to play, they will ultimately favor Shardul Thakur,” Bangar said.
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He also noted that throughout the series, India has consistently played three frontline pacers along with one bowling all-rounder, and he expected Gambhir to follow the same strategy.
“Thus far, the team has played with that formula, and Gill and Gambhir will likely stick to it tomorrow (Thursday),” Bangar added.
Bangar’s Seamers Call Right, Shardul Thakur Dropped for Extra Batter
Bangar predicted India would go with Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna as their three seamers, with Shardul Thakur at number 8 due to the conditions.
“As far as I’m concerned, Prasidh Krishna, Siraj, and Akash Deep would be my three seamers. Although Prasidh has been a bit expensive this series, he has wicket-taking ability. He hits the deck hard and extracts extra bounce, which is always available at The Oval. I consider Prasidh ahead of Arshdeep. In my opinion, Anshul might not play in this match,” Bangar observed.
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While Bangar’s prediction on the frontline seamers was accurate, his choice to include Shardul Thakur did not materialise. India instead replaced Shardul with Karun Nair, opting for an extra batter in the line-up..
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill lost yet another toss, extending his personal streak to five and India’s to 15 consecutive coin toss losses. India was forced to bat first after losing the toss, but lost both openers in the first session, with Sai Sudharsan and skipper Shubman Gill at the crease.
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