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India will be forced to make changes to their playing XI for the fourth Test against at Ranchi, which starts on 23 February (Friday). It has not be made official but Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss the match as part of his workload management and the reports in media is as good as the final news on this. Also, there are the reports that KL Rahul, who missed the second and third Test at Visakhapatnam and Rajkot due to pain in right quadriceps, is almost back to full fitness and will be ready for the fourth Test.
It looks like there will be at least two changes if not more for India at Ranchi and probably the hosts doesn’t have any reason to make more than two changes as well unless the pitch at Ranchi turns out to be a rank turner or a big pace-friendly strip.
Before we take a look at what could be India’s playing XI and who are the players who can go out or come in, here’s the history of the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.
Overall in two matches so far at Ranchi, India won won one and drawn one. The first one against Australia was a high-scoring draw, while the second against South Africa turned out to be an innings and 202-run win after Rohit Sharma hit a double hundred. Out of 20 South Africa wickets in India’s win, 10 were taken by two pacers, while three spinners together had nine and there was a run out as well. The stadium is largely known for lifeless pitch with slow and low bounce. However, the pitch was relaid a few years back with a mix of black and red soil and there could be change with extra pace.
This suggests that India will most probably stick with the combination of two pacers and three spinners including two all-rounders in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. It’s also a combination that has seen them take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series with two more matches to go.
Impact Shorts
View AllWe now take a look at what changes India could make to their playing XI for Ranchi Test.
Who goes out for Rahul?
Rahul’s return is a much-needed relief for India who have been reliant on a individual brilliance rather than collective batting effort in the series. Sometimes it has been Yashasvi Jasiwal’s brilliance, Shubman Gill’s roaring return to form, captain Rohit’s marvellous hundred, Jadeja’s rescue act or Sarfaraz Khan’s impressive debut that has got the job done for India, but Indian batters have failed to fire in unison so far and considering the lack of experience in Indian batting lineup in the absence of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, it’s imperative that Rahul returns to the XI as soon as possible.
For him to get in, one batter will have to sit out and unfortunately it has to be Rajat Patidar, who has failed to to seize the chances so far. Rajat was given his debut at Visakhapatnam, ahead of Sarfaraz, but after four innings, his scores read, 32, 9, 5 and 0.
Sarfaraz, meanwhile, had a brilliant debut at Rajkot, scoring 66 and 68 not out in his first two Test innings.
Wicket-batter Dhruv Jurel is also expected to hold onto his spot after scoring 46 on debut in Rajkot and in just one innings accumulated half as many runs as KS Bharat managed in four innings in the first two Tests.
Who will replace Bumrah?
If it wasn’t for Rahul’s return or the need to rest Bumrah, who has so far bowled 80.5 overs in three matches and leads the wicket-taker’s list with 17 scalps, India probably would have stuck with the winning combination from Rajkot, but changes will be made. However, we don’t expect spin combination to change. Axar Patel, it seems will have to sit out again with Kuldeep Yadav playing alongside Ashwin and Jadeja unless Ravichandran has to leave again due to family emergency.
With eight wickets in last two matches, Kuldeep has shown that he is wicket-taker who can make things happen even on unresponsive pitches.
As far as Bumrah’s replacement is concerned India have options in Bengal pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep.
Mukesh played at Visakhapatnam when Mohammed Siraj was rested but returned figures of 1 for 70. Akash Deep, meanwhile, is still to make his debut. We also shouldn’t forget that Mukesh recently took 10 wickets for Bengal against Bihar in a Ranji Trophy game when the Rajkot Test was on.
With India missing a lot of key experienced players, there’s a good chance the team management will throw it’s weight behind Mukesh ahead of Akash Deep for the Ranchi Test.
India’s predicted playing 11 for Ranchi Test: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar
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