When India and South Africa take the field at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday for the second Test, the most number of cheers from the stands will be reserved for two men – Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. The support for Virat will be slightly on the higher side, as Bengaluru’s very own IPL captain returns home, this time as India’s Test captain.
“Knowing the conditions here better than some of the other members of our squad will help me in giving the inputs that are required for us to win the Test match,” Virat said on the eve of the Test.
Virat also knows that the weather in Bengaluru can be fickle. It rained heavily here the entire last week and the forecast for the coming week suggests there could be intermittent showers. Virat said that the climatic conditions could force some changes in the team combination.
“It does play a part, especially knowing that you might not have full game time. It does lead to a few changes,” he said. “The team management and I have spoken about it, so we will make the necessary changes depending on the conditions and what the weather looks like in the next few days. It is important to keep all the factors in mind.”
In the first Test, in Mohali, the spinners shouldered the bulk of the bowling responsibilities from both teams, as the pacers bowled only 20-odd overs throughout the match. With dampness in the air and the pitch likely to retain some moisture, those calculations could change significantly. The seamers will definitely have a bigger role to play in Bengaluru, and the Indian captain is pleased to have Ishant Sharma, his most in-form fast bowler, back just in time.
“With Ishant coming in, he brings a lot of experience,” Virat said. “He has bowled well in the subcontinent conditions, knows how to reverse swing the ball and can lead the pace attack. We just have to figure out according to the pitch and the conditions who will be doing the bulk of the bowling and at what stage of the game. I am very delighted that Ishant is back. The way he has been bowling – the way he bowled in Sri Lanka – he will bring a lot to the table.”
Another aspect of the playing XI combination that the Indian team management heads will have to decide on is whether they want to continue with the five-bowler strategy or rope in an all-rounder at No. 7 with four bowlers to follow. With Gurkeerat Singh Mann joining the squad and Stuart Binny already there, India have two options for the all-rounder’s slot. Given that Binny has played all his cricket at this ground and he can exploit the seaming conditions, he seems to be the first choice if India do go in with four bowlers.
However, Virat put a metaphorical hand on Mann’s shoulder, saying that the 25-year-old batsman who can send down some handy off-spinners, is very much in the fray for the long home Test season ahead.
“He could fit into our scheme of things,” Virat said of Mann. “I cannot put a particular time when but he certainly is in the mix of things. He has the ability to bat at that 6 or 7 position. He can be very dangerous and can take the game away from the opposition because he is a very instinctive player.
“He is primarily a batsman who has worked really hard on his bowling too. He has earned the call-up to the Indian team. Such cricketers who bring in balance are important to any squad. Since we are playing so many Test matches in India in the next year and a half, it will be very important to have guys like Gurkeerat who can give us that balance. Don’t be surprised if you see him playing very soon.”
