Virat Kohli has hinted at some changes in the Indian cricket team after they lost in the final of the ICC World Test Championship to New Zealand in Southampton.
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The repercussions for Indian cricket in the aftermath of the ICC World Test Championship loss to New Zealand is starting to ripple out. Virat Kohli has tried to mask the defeat, saying one bad game does not change it. India lost by eight wickets to New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship final in Southampton. It continued their horror run where they have lost in the knockout stages of major ICC events six consecutive times from 2014.
During the post-match press conference, Virat Kohli said a best-of-three final would have been ideal to determine who was the best team. But, there was one indication that might give a hint of India’s plan for the five-Test series against England.
In the press conference, Virat Kohli said, “We will have conversations on the things required to strengthen the side. We need to understand what dynamics work for the team and bring in the right people with the right mindset. Let’s not fall prey to a certain pattern,” Kohli said.
The Indian skipper also stated, “When you have been a top side for a few years, you don’t want to drop your standards. We will take those decisions and have those conversations in the near future. We will not wait for a year or so.”
This means that change is in the air. There have been certain problem areas for the Indian cricket team in the final against New Zealand. Cheteshwar Pujara, in particular, might be feeling the heat. Pujara has not hit a century for close to three years now. Although he played admirably in Australia, Pujara’s dourness and his inability to convert starts into big scores might hurt him for the England series.
Ajinkya Rahane was one of the best players in the first ICC World Test Championship cycle. His century in Melbourne was one of the best and it turned the series around. But, his inconsistency has been gaping. After a good start against West Indies, Rahane did not make many big scores in the subsequent series at home against South Africa, Bangladesh and England. Apart from the ton in Melbourne, Rahane struggled in the remaining three Tests and in the tour of New Zealand.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the BCCI has apparently made a request to the England and Wales Cricket Board for a warm-up game before the Tests. India are now on a three-week break before they resume practice for the England Tests.
India were expected to play India A before the start of the series. The A team are playing two matches against Leicestershire and Northamptonshire but there is a problem. The delta variant of the coronavirus has started wreaking havoc in the UK, with over 10,000 new cases being reported. Travel restrictions are back in place again. The plan was to play two four-day intra-squad games in Durham but that does not seem to have worked for India.
The BCCI are making this request but logistically, it might be difficult. The reason for the lack of first-class matches against the counties or Lions is due to the COVID protocols put in place by the England and Wales Cricket Board. The Indian team will once again be in a bio-bubble in Durham. County players are subject to regular testing. But, they are not living in bubbles. They are free to go out in public, attend restaurants and bars. The risk of bringing the virus into India’s bubble is deemed too great.
India have not won a series in England since 2007. From that time, India have lost three consecutive series. In 2011, they were whitewashed 4-0 while the results in 2014 and 2018 were 3-1 and 4-1 respectively. The fact that India will not have a warm-up game heading into the England series is not unique.
Sri Lanka and New Zealand did not have any warm-up matches before their Twenry20 and Test series against England. India managed only an intra-squad game but that did not help them avoid a loss in the ICC World Test Championship final.
If India do make changes, then they may want to consider Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari in the five-Tests against England. Rahane and Pujara might be sidelined for some time. Even in the bowling, with Jasprit Bumrah not in rhythm and Ishant suffering an injury, there might be other bowlers who could step up and deliver the goods for India. England are coming off a loss to New Zealand at home for the first time in 22 years. The hosts have problems, with none of the batsmen been in good form ever since the India series.
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