 "Punjab left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar is training with Indian team in Birmingham. Image: BCCI")
It was a text message from new Indian Test captain Shubman Gill that brought Harpreet Brar to the national team’s training session at Edgbaston ahead of the second Test against England. India are already 1-0 behind in the five-match Test series after losing the first match by five wickets in Leeds as their pacers failed to fire.
India, it seems, are ready to employ a heavy spin strategy in the Birmingham Test as they look to make a comeback in the Test series. Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless in the first Test and to give him more support, Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir could bring in Kuldeep Yadav in place of Shardul Thakur at Edgbaston.
Gill invites Brar to Team India training session
India’s training session gave a good hint of at least two spinners being part of India’s playing XI in the second Test, as Punjab Kings (PBKS) left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar was invited by Gill to train with India.
Harpreet Brar made the revelation in a conversation with the BCCI media team. “My wife is from Swindon. And it’s quite close to Birmingham, it’s a 1-1.5 hour drive. I was talking to Shubman (Gill). He texted me yesterday, so I said, Okay, let’s go and practice here,” Brar, Gill’s state side teammate, told BCCI.
Apart from Harpreet Brar, Chandigarh pacer Jagjit Singh Sandhu was also seen bowling in the nets. Neither player is a part of India’s Test squad. However, their inclusion indicates India’s attempt to double down on their preparations.
It will be interesting to see what sort of bowling lineup is picked by India for the second Test. Kuldeep Yadav may come back for a pacer or all-rounder Thakur, but that would weaken the batting. In such a case, Nitish Kumar Reddy may replace Thakur and Yadav could replace either Prasidh Krishna or Mohammed Siraj.
Jasprit Bumrah is also expected to sit out of the second Test, which means Akash Deep or Arshdeep Singh are expected to be included.